101 Kisses
by Jaeda star
Summary: AU Boys will be boys...this is particularly true when it involves bets, girls and, dare i say it, kissing...you just know trouble is sure to follow! No-one does high school drama like the digidestined! Rated T for just in case. R&R plz
1. Chapter 1: Cars, bikes and bets

_Ok, this story involves a few of my digiguardian characters featured in my first fanfic-'My digidestined's keeper'. I deleted that fic, just so you know, coz after reading it again i was left wondering what possesed me to write such rubbish! I made all the characters older and chucked them in Highschool! Oh what fun! All the digidestined characters from the first and second season are in here with all their wonderful personalities and quirks! I really do hope you all enjoy reading this story! Possible_ _pairings (I don't want to come right out and say it, it will just spoil everything!) Sorato, Taiora, Koumi, TaixOC, Takari Kenyako._

_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own digimon or it's characters. Only the OC's are mine.

_**Chapter One**_ **_Cars, bikes and bets_**

It was 07:30am-the first day of senior year, and he was late. He vaguely remembered hearing the irritating beeping noise of his alarm clock through his sleep-induced state. It was Kari's impatient and annoyed voice that had awoken him from his 'coma'. After knocking for the umpteenth time and calling for him to get up, Kari decided to open the door to her big brother's room. Just seeing Tai entangled in his bed covers and still asleep was enough to make her anger boil. Kari snatched up a pillow from the cluttered eighteen year olds' bedroom floor and hurled it at him with all the force she could muster.

"Tai! You moron!! Get up! You're late and that makes me late! You're supposed to be taking me to school!"

He opened his eyes a crack to see Kari standing there with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. Tai sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Relax Kari. I said I'd take you and I will. We got plenty of time."

Kari glanced at her watch and then back at Tai.

"Mom! Wait for me! Can I get a ride to school with you?"

Kari raced out of Tai's messy room to catch up with their mom before she left for work. She knew she'd never make it to school on time if her brother took her-no matter how wildly fast he drove. Tai watched her dash out the room. Her straight hazel brown shoulder length hair swished out behind her as she moved. At fifteen, Kari was blooming into a beauty. She was still the kind, gentle and considerate sweetheart she'd always been. Tai certainly had his work cut out for him as a big brother with all the boys chasing after her. One of his best friends, Brad, had the same trouble with guys and his younger sister and Kari's closest best friend, Rena. Tai and Brad would often compare notes on how they'd scared off a 'potential' boyfriend for their sisters.

Somewhere between his thoughts did it occur to him that he was seriously late for school. With a jolt, he jumped out of bed and got dressed with lightning speed. Dashing for the door, Tai paused to check his wristwatch while resting his other hand on the doorknob.

"Fifteen minutes. I think I can manage that."

With that confident grin that got all the girls swooning, he headed for the car park and his dark blue and white Renault Clio Sport.

"Hey Kari! I thought you were getting a ride with Tai today."

Rena quickly joined in step with Kari after spotting her best friend in the parking lot getting out of her mom's car. Kari let out an annoyed sigh as if she were reliving that moment all over again. Rena, perceptive as ever to her friends' thoughts and feelings, knew all about Kari's morning before she even said a word. Rena rolled her gold flecked, dark brown eyes and nodded in understanding.

"He overslept, huh?"

"Don't even get me started… I'm guessing your morning was the same with your brother?"

"Yup. My grandmother could've gotten me to school on time with her walker."

Kari let out a loud laugh at Rena's comical remark. Meeting up with TK, Aaron, Ken and Yolei, Rena and Kari made their way to homeroom.

The wheels screeched as the car swerved into the parking space of the student car lot. Tai scrambled out the car and raced into the school building.

"Brad, where's Tai? I didn't see him this morning."

Matt leaned forward over his desk to speak to the golden haired guy seated in front of him. Brad turned around in his seat to look at Matt, his long time close friend.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him either."

"He's probably late-again."

Joe took up his seat across from Matt. An impish grin spread across Brad's face upon seeing Joe. It was the start of a new school year. How could he let the first day back go by without teasing his buddy? Besides, it was customary; and he had to seize this ideal opportunity to diss Joe.

"Maybe he found out Joe was in his class this year and decided to transfer to another school."

Joe pushed his glasses further up his nose and glowered at his comrade. Joe opened his mouth to give Brad a witty comeback, when an out-of-breath Tai plunked himself down at a desk next to Brad. His timing couldn't have been more perfect. Seconds after Tai arrived, the teacher entered the classroom to start homeroom. In acknowledgement of Tai's feat, Matt and Brad gave him hi-fives.

The bell rang for the next class. As usual, Matt was surrounded by girls wanting any bit of attention they could get from the blond, blue eyed hottie. And the fact that he was the lead singer in his own band meant the ladies couldn't get enough of Matt Ishida.

"Geesh. You'd think they'd at least let him get to his locker before the next class. They're like hungry piranha in the Amazon that is our hallway." Brad shook his head while opening his locker.

"It's ridiculous how many girls throw themselves at his feet." He frowned with distaste.

Brad then jumped back a step as a flood of paper notes and envelopes poured out of his locker when he opened it. It was like looking at Victoria Falls. Tai stifled his laughter, shaking with the effort.

"Geesh. You'd think they'd at least give you a little space for your things in your own locker. It's ridiculous. You should get another locker for all that fan mail."

"Shut up."

Brad's cheeks reddened, feeling sheepish that Tai had used his earlier comment about Matt on _him_. What was he anyway?-a parrot that he repeats everything you say? Brad knelt down to scoop up all the love notes from the many female admirers he'd acquired. Like Matt and Tai, Brad was pretty popular amongst the girls. He was a champion surfer, and with his mischievous and boyish good looks, Brad was never short of a date.

"I don't understand… How do they find it? I've changed lockers at least eight times already. It's like they're cross-bred with blood hounds." Brad wasn't sure what to do with all the 'fan mail'. Recycle it maybe? Piling it neatly, he packed it into the corner of his back pack.

"I know exactly how you feel, dude." Tai gave a wink to a girl waving shyly at him when she passed him by.

Being the captain of the school soccer team, Tai was just about every girl's dream. Matt finally made it to his locker-a bit disheveled, but none the worse for wear. Tai and Brad snickered.

"Welcome back! Poor Matt… Is there any girl in Odaiba High-wait, let me rephrase that; is there any girl in the _entire district_ that can resist your charm?"

Brad had a twinkle in his dark brown/gold eyes when he laughed. Straightening out his green school blazer, Matt smiled roguishly.

"Nope. I never met a girl who could."

The three laughed and started to make their way to class.

"One of these days, Matt, you're gonna meet a girl who doesn't fall at your feet like all the others."

"Do I sense jealousy, Tai?"

"Don't kid yourself. I can get any girl I want."

"Is that a fact? Would you care to make a small wager on that?"

"Here you guys are! I was looking everywhere for you, but then I just looked for the highest concentration of girls, and well, here you are!" Izzy interrupted his three friends. He caught the intense, competitive look on both Matt and Tai's faces.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"What kind of wager are we talking about here? You know I'm always up for a challenge." Tai continued, hardly noticing Izzy join them.

"My Honda CBR 600. To whoever gets the most girls to confess their love with a kiss by the end of the semester. The one with the most make-out time to his name, wins." Matt had a gleam in his eye.

"Hold on, you're betting the motor cycle your dad gave to you?! For kisses?!"

Izzy was flabbergasted. Matt and his dad had worked on fixing up that bike for as long as Izzy could remember, and now he was giving it away? It was crazy!

"It's actually TK's, but he's too young to ride it and has probably forgotten he has it by now."

"Ooh, that's devious----."

Brad was awed by Matt's craftiness. That was a damn good looking motorbike… and giving it up in a bet was madness-unless it wasn't yours to start off with… that way you wouldn't be losing a thing…

"Are you guys in?" Tai didn't break eye contact with Matt.

"I, uh…well…" Izzy stammered, taken aback by this.

"Come on Izzy, it's just a little lip action!" Tai persuaded the conservative Izzy into giving a nervous, unsure nod in agreement.

"As much as I love kisses and bikes, I've got a girlfriend, remember? The three of you can be grateful I'm not in the run in for the prize, coz it was as good as mine anyway. Now at least all of you stand a fair chance at winning."

Brad joked with a broad smile and a shrug. He regretted not being able to get his hands on the motorbike, but having Maya as his girl was worth more than that.

"Thanks for your consideration, Casanova" Tai rolled his eyes at Brad's cocky humor and turned to Matt.

"Looks like you got yourself a deal, Ishida."

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_Author's note: Well, that's chapter one. Hope it's got you intrigued! :) __Anyway, I'm not very sure how good the car and motorbike models I added are, I do admit that I'm not very clued up on that sort of thing… So if the car and bike models mentioned in this fic are cruddy, then it's all my brothers' fault for suggesting them! Hahahaha!!! Reviews and some better car suggestions (if necessary) would be very much appreciated!_


	2. Chapter 2:Thoughts, feelings & flowers

_I would just like to thank those who took the time to write reviews for the first chapter! It really made my day-nothing could ruin my fantabulous mood coz I got reviews!! Your input helps a lot with how I plan out the next chapters! Not divulging any couples yet! You gotta read and find out! But Takari is a definite! _

_Oh, and to __**Light-of-Hope-07**__, this is your chapter especially for your top couple! Although you might be disappointed about the Taiora pairing, (Checked your profile) I'm not entirely sure how the relationship plot for them is gonna go, but I do sincerely hope that you'll continue reading the story despite that and that you won't write me off if I do decide to pair Tai with an OC. I'm sorry sweetie! _

_Enjoy the second chapter! _

_***Chapter 2***_ _**Thoughts, feelings and flowers**_

One week later…

The bathroom filled with steam. The warm spray of the shower sent rivulets of water streaming down Sora's head and pretty face. She leaned her back against the one wall of the cubicle, positioning herself directly under the shower head. There was nothing like a nice shower after soccer practice. Judging by the amount of steam everywhere, she had been in the shower for a while. She could hardly find the soap! Not that she cared. Her mind was on other things… _I saw him today…_ Her beautiful big hazel eyes deepened with feeling. She looked down, allowing the water to travel off the short strands of her reddish brown hair. _He didn't even notice I was there. But then again, he was a little distracted… _

Sora thought back to when she'd spotted her childhood friend in the hallway and in the few classes they took together-each time he was surrounded by a multitude of adoring girls. _The least he could've done was acknowledge my existence! He hasn't even said two words to me_ _since we got back to school!_ She frowned. Maybe by being angry at him for something-however stupid it may be- would help her squelch these strange, not-so-new feelings taking hold of her heart. It so wasn't helping. _But then again, you could've gone up to him and said something, too. Argh!! What's wrong with you Sora?! He's your friend! You can't avoid him forever! _

Sora turned off the water faucet. She wrapped a blue towel around her slender figure, and dried her hair with another. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror after wiping it clean of steam. Her hair was flaring out at the back more than usual after being towel dried. Sora fingered a few strands. _Maybe he'd like it if I grew my hair longer…Maybe then he'd notice me._

Quickly getting dressed in a pair of her favorite blue jeans and a light green sleeveless shirt, she made her way to meet her closest friends at their regular spot. A café on the promenade that overlooked Odaiba Bay and the Rainbow Bridge.

X

The classroom was empty and quiet-something that seemed out of the ordinary for TK when most of the time it was filled with the rowdiness of ninth graders. TK enjoyed the short silence before class began for the day. He stood before her desk near the large windows and could just picture her in his minds' eye with the rays of early sunlight streaking her hair bronze and lighting her eyes when she smiled. TK's heart warmed. His fingers fidgeted with the petals of the tissue paper cherry blossom bouquet he held.

It was April, and Cherry Blossom season. The school had made a tradition to celebrate the bloom of Asia's popular flowers by selling tissue paper cherry blossoms to students who would then exchange them with each other. Over the years, the tradition had changed to incorporate a more romantic element into it. Nowadays the boys would give the girls (friend or girlfriend) the delicately crafted flowers as a token of friendship or love. Sakura Matsuri was a favorite time for couples. What could be more romantic than an evening stroll with your sweetheart beneath the blossoms of the lantern lit trees?

TK had gotten all three of his closest she-friends a crafted flower, and set them on their desks early that morning. Now, standing before her desk, he felt his muscles tense. Why was the simple task of putting something on somebody's desk so damn difficult? His pulse quickened when the answer came to him: because it was Kari's desk. Because he'd been in love with her forever and needed to find some way to tell her before the weight of it all crushed him.

So he'd chosen now. This cherry blossom replica was a special one because it came with a note that asked Kari out on their very first date. Under the cherry blossoms' soft vigil, he would tell her how he felt.

"Hey TA! Head's up!!" Davis' loud greeting startled TK as he barged into the classroom. It would still amaze TK how after all these years Davis couldn't pronounce his name… TK spun around to see a soccer ball soaring his way! Blue eyes widening, TK instinctively threw the flower he held aside to catch the careening ball before it hit him in the face! From that moment on, it was as if God pressed the slow speed button on life and everything went by in slow-mo; no-one could stop what ensued next!

Letting go of the flower to save his face, TK had unwittingly thrown the thing out the window! TK leaned out of the open window and watched as the light pink item and attached note floated three floors down to the street, and like a series of misfortunate events, it landed in a rain gutter. The current then sent it to its watery end down the nearest storm drain. Seeing that flower vanish was like seeing himself go down that drain…

"Great catch, dude! Hey, what's up?" Davis casually strolled over to a silent TK at the window.

"Davis! Has anybody ever told you what a total idiot you are?!" TK shouted after finding his voice again through all the rage he felt.

"Yeah. Everyday. But thanks for telling me again! What's your problem?! Did your mom throw out that stupid hat of yours?!" Davis countered with as much venom as he could, knowing that TK hated it when he insulted his beloved accessory.

TK was so angry that he threw the soccer ball at Davis without bothering to aim. It hit the goggle-wearing teen square in the face! TK stalked out of the class muttering angrily to himself. This was one of those times when he wanted to cram Davis in a crate and ship him to Antarctica-without a fragile sticker!!

X

"Wow Rena! You sure got a lot of paper flowers today! Who're they from?" Yolei remarked during lunch. Rena blushed, embarrassed that all the attention of her friends now focused on her. She really hated it.

"Um, well, I can't really remember everybody…but I did get one from Aaron and TK."

Upon hearing TK's name mentioned, Kari's face drained. He'd given her a flower too? He'd given everybody else except her! _Get a grip, Kari!_ _It's only a silly paper flower…nothing special…then why am I so upset?!_ She felt angry, confused and hurt all at the same time.

"Well, Aaron's my cousin and TK's my friend, so it doesn't really count." Rena added, uneasy. Kari took a sip of her water to try and look like she wasn't fazed by anything.

"You're right. They gave me one, too. Even Ken put one on my desk. Hey, Kari? How many flowers did you get?" Yolei turned from the golden blond haired Rena to look at Kari.

Kari gave a jump when she realized she was being addressed.

"Oh, sorry, what did you say?"

"Are you alright?" Rena could see her best friend was distressed, and had a sneaking feeling she knew why.

"Yeah. It's not like you to space out like that." Yolei frowned.

"Hey there! You're lucky I found you!" Davis joined them at the lunch table with the usual cocky grin on his face. Kari was grateful for the shift in attention.

Yolei and Rena greeted Davis with a friendly smile.

"And why are we lucky that you found us, exactly?" Yolei wanted to know.

Remembering why he 'd been looking for them, Davis dug in his grey school trouser pockets and pulled out two slightly crumpled paper flowers.

"These are for my two girls!" Davis' grin widened, a pink hue coloring his cheeks when he presented the pink and white little flowers to Kari and Rena. He still had a massive crush on Kari, and he also took a fancy to Rena. He just couldn't decide which girl he wanted so he decided on both! That was Davis for you.

"Your _two_ _girls_? What am I? Genderless?!" Yolei's expressive brown eyes flashed beneath an arched eyebrow.

"Of course not, Yolei. I'm not saying that. But you know I only give flowers to _pretty _girls." Davis retorted slickly, enjoying watching Yolei's temper rise like a stoked fire. And there it was…the eye twitch thing she did when she started to grind her teeth in fury.

"That's it! Now, you DIE!!" Yolei roared and stood up ready to attack a snickering Davis with all the likeness of a lioness in full fury!

"Relax! You know he was only kidding around! Don't let him get the best of you." Rena pulled Yolei back by her green school blouse. Yolei still clawed the air with her arms in an attempt to scratch Davis.

Davis still laughed evilly like he always did after succeeding in pushing Yolei's buttons. Yolei was definitely a pretty girl, but Davis just enjoyed getting her all riled up. Kari wasn't paying attention to the two. All she could do was stare at the pink flower Davis had gotten her with an aching heart. _Davis_ _even got me a flower...I don't understand… even if TK doesn't care about me that way, he could've still given me a flower as a friendly gesture. Could he be in love with Rena? Or Yolei? No…they're just really good friends_. _Maybe I got it all wrong. Was I misreading things because of my feelings for him and seeing things I wanted to see? He has been acting a little distant the last couple days…_

Davis' voice brought her back to the moment at hand.

"I was wondering if Kari and Rena would like to go with me to the Sakura Matsuri this weekend. Just not on Friday, I'm gonna be racing with your brothers' motorbike team." Davis popped the question with a confidence only he possessed.

Kari and Rena's eyes rounded with a look of surprise on their lovely faces.

"So. What do you say? Is it a date?" He was so hopeful.

They were speechless. Kari's emotions were a mess. Her hopes were crushed. It should've been TK asking her out to see cherry blossoms and all the other things that feature in the festival! Not Davis! She wanted it to be TK! So what if she was being immature! She was hopelessly in love with the guy! And the thought that he might not feel the same way absolutely terrified her!

"Ok, firstly, you're not on their bike team, you're too young to even ride a motorcycle yet alone race one! And secondly, you can't ask both girls out on a date at the same time! That's just wrong!" Yolei was still fuming and needed to get back at Davis for his earlier comment any way she could.

"That's just a formality! I'm going to be the next member of the team very soon! And I call it being smart, Yolei. Think about it. By asking two girls at once you're bound to get a date. If one girl says no, then there's always the other girl left."

"So, genius, what happens when both girls say no?"

"Then it's time for my last, and I do mean last, resort: I ask you."

Suddenly, before Yolei could get her hands on Davis and kill him for such a remark, Kari got up and pushed past Davis with a muffled apology.

"Excuse me, I have to go." Not being able to handle the crowded lunch room anymore, Kari ran off. The three stood there staring after her.

"Kari…" Rena considered going after her, but she doubted she could make Kari feel better-she was no good at that sort of thing. She was almost sure she'd glimpsed a tear in her friends' eye, and had a feeling it had something to do with a certain handsome golden haired, blue eyed boy and a paper cherry blossom flower.

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_What do you think? Remember, your reviews matter!! The more you review the quicker I update!_

_Author's Notes:__Okay, that might've been kinda sucky for the second chapter…I was sorta battling a bit with ideas. If I'm favoring an OC please tell me (nicely please or I'll cry :D) coz I just read up on this mary-sue term thingy and now I'm terrified of being guilty of it!( can you say paranoia?) Please know it's not my intention and I always try to give all the characters (original and made up) an equal amount of attention! _

__

Next Chapter! Cherry Blossom's Bloom. The bet is heating up! Izzy decides he needs a change and gets a make-over which definitely gets some heads turning-including Mimi's, but will that change her secret feelings for somebody else? Ken and Yolei go on their first official date! (Awww) Sora gets an unexpected visitor whose appearance is going to turn her world upside down!

Here's a useless factoid for any body who's interested:

_**Sakura Matsuri**__ translates into __**Cherry Blossom**__**Festival**__. It's held in March to April and varies depending on the blooming time of the trees, but the mentioned dates are about correct. The festival includes tea ceremonies and traditional Japanese dance and music. Trees are normally lit up with lanterns for evening viewing-very romantic! _

_Happy reading-lah! _


	3. Chapter 3: Cherry Blossom's Bloom

_Once again a huge thank you to those who reviewed my work! Especially to __**Koumiloccness **__and to __**Light-of-Hope-07**__who reviewed both chapters! It means a lot! I didn't actually think people would even read this fic yet alone review it! Take note, if Tai and Matt appear slightly out of character to you at any time in this chapter, know that it was necessary for the plot line so no flaming please! __**: )**__Oh! Oh! I'm battling to come up with a really cool motorbike team name for Tai, Matt and Brad! PLEASE give me some suggestions! Be warned, this is a long chapter! Enjoy! _

_***Chapter 3***_ _**Cherry Blossom's Bloom**_

He was so close to her she could breathe him in. His dark mahogany brown eyes entranced her.

"Oh, Taichi! You're so funny!" She giggled at his humor.

Although his remark wasn't very funny, the attention he was giving her made her so giddy she would've laughed at anything he'd said. He'd cringed inwardly when she'd said his full name-he hated being called Taichi; it was what his mother would call him when he was in serious trouble. Her heart pounded as he leaned closer to her with a self-assured, lob sided smile on his handsome face.

"Don't go gossiping about this now; you wouldn't want to make the other girls jealous." Tai whispered so nobody would hear them in the vacant science lab.

"N…no…I won't. Promise…" She could hardly speak with her heart beating a mile a minute!

"Then this is how I like to seal promises…" Tai trailed off.

As his lips met her trembling ones, he felt a sense of triumph.

_One kiss closer to winning the bet…_

X

"Thank you for the rose, Yamato! But you really shouldn't be picking the school garden's roses; you'll get into trouble." Her hands delicately held the ruby red rose close to her chest. She stared up into his cerulean blue eyes.

"Nah… It's all worth it to see you smile." He responded with a flippant wave of his hand and a charming smile to accompany the honeyed words.

Her cheeks warmed and her heart fluttered. Matt moved in for the grand finale.

"This is something special to remember, to be kept just between the two of us."

In total surprise, she dropped her rose to the floor when he leaned in and kissed her.

X

She sat reading her novel near the bleachers. Spotting her, Izzy remembered the stupid bet and wished he'd never gotten suckered into it in the first place. What in the world was he going to do with a bike for crying out loud?! He had put a large amount of thought into the whole issue and had come to the conclusion that girls dig guys on bikes. So he'd decided to see this thing through and get that motorcycle! He was also pretty sure his hormones played a big part in his reasoning…

It was now or never. He marched over to the girl and stopped in front of her. He froze, his mind went blank… Great! He didn't think of what he was going to say, now did he?! If only girls were like computers; then he'd have no problem handling one! The girl peered up over her glasses to see Izzy standing stiffly before her.

"Um…Hello. Lovely day, isn't it?" He laughed tensely.

For all his vast intellect, this was the best he could come up with? _Lovely day? Was he at a tea party or something? _He wanted to kick himself.

Izzy stopped mentally berating himself when the girl looked up at him and then at the grey storm clouds gathering in the sky. Izzy wished for a hole to open up and swallow him right then and there. _Lovely day my ass!_

"Izzy! Over here!" A girl's voice called him, saving him from his disastrous attempt at chatting up a girl. He'd never been so happy to see Mimi EVER!

His childhood 'gal pal' glided over and pulled him aside by his arm.

"Hi Mimi…" Izzy rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

Mimi was silent, staring at him intently. The boy felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Izzy jumped when Mimi brought her hand up to touch his face. Sure, he'd admit he found Mimi very attractive, but he never thought she would hold any interest in him! This was way too unexpected! He wasn't ready for this yet!

He swallowed hard. Mimi gripped Izzy's cheek and pinched it, making him yelp in pain.

"Awww…My wittle Izzy's all grown up and checking out girls instead of websites!" Mimi cooed in a tone she'd use when talking to toddlers.

"Seriously, Izzy, if you want a girl to notice you, you have to take charge! Be a man! Sweep her off her feet! And remember, a little self confidence goes a long way!"

Mimi let go of Izzy's cheek; leaving a red mark behind. She gave him a cute wink before walking away.

X

"So. What's the score?"

Matt asked Tai on the way out their last class for the day. Izzy was right behind them. Tai shouldered his black soccer kit bag for practice taking place in ten minutes. A grin turned up the corners of his mouth when asked the question.

"I'm not one to brag, but right now it's up to twenty-one."

Tai watched Matt's features closely for a reaction. Matt gave a contemplative nod, seemingly unfazed. This drove Tai insane! Whenever Matt was unreadable like that it always meant he had the upper hand!

"What?! Twenty-one girls?! It's only been a week! That's exactly three girls every day!" Izzy, on the other hand, was gob smacked.

"I would say I'm impressed, Tai. But it just so happens twenty-three is my lucky number right now. Sorry, Kamiya." Matt relished the moment and gave a stunned Tai a back slap. Tai was infuriated, and Matt was thrilling in it. Izzy watched the exchange with amusement.

"Don't feel bad about it. I'm taking a break today..."

Matt trailed off, seeing the fire blaze in the eyes of his friend. Tai couldn't believe it! So Matt was ahead _**and **_taking breaks in between?_Damn you, Ishida! _

"…So you might wanna try catching up. That is, if you can." The blond added.

"Watch me." Tai brushed past Matt and walked purposefully in the direction of a group of cheerleaders emerging for practice.

Mimi and Maya (Maya being another one of the digidestined's close friends from the digital world days) waved at Izzy and Matt in greeting.

"Hi there, Tai!" Mimi's ready smile turned to an annoyed scowl when Tai simply walked by without saying a word. Instead he walked straight to Mitsuki, her fellow blond haired cheerleader.

"Ah who cares?" She brushed it off.

Matt and Izzy watched Tai flirt with the cheerleader.

"What about you, Izzy?" Matt didn't shift his focus from Tai.

"You mean the bet? Yeah, that…well, it's going a little slow at the moment." For some reason, Izzy thought back to Mimi and her pep talk that morning. Wait, why was he thinking of _Mimi_?

Izzy was waiting for the taunting to begin but Matt wasn't even listening. They watched as Tai pulled out a paper cherry blossom flower and gave it to Mitsuki.

"He's really pulling out all the stops." Matt suppressed a chuckle, amused that Tai was so intent on showing him up.

With a delighted shriek, Mitsuki rewarded Tai by planting a big kiss on his lips before prancing off merrily to practice. Matt and Izzy stood motionless and speechless. Tai sauntered toward them with a smug '_he shoots, he scores' _look on his face.

"Twenty-two." Tai didn't stop when he passed them by and headed in the direction of the soccer field.

"You showed me, Tai! I'm gonna have to step up my game if you're gonna go all out like that!" Matt drenched his words with sarcasm.

"It's like they say: 'Go big or go home'." Tai replied without looking back at his friends.

X

It was late Saturday afternoon and Yolei sat before her dresser mirror evaluating her reflection with a critical eye. Her mind began to drift to the approaching evening's date with Ken. He'd asked her when he'd presented her with the customary paper flower sold at school. Yolei had been speechless- and that wasn't something that happened often! Ken had always intrigued her, every time she thought she knew all there was to know about him he'd surprise her. He was like an onion: having many layers… An example of such was when he'd asked her to go to the Sakura Matsuri with him. Her feelings about him were unsure. She loved him as a friend, and maybe there was something hidden within her that could bloom into more.

Yolei was deep in contemplative thought. _Should she wear contacts instead of her glasses? How would she wear her long, luxuriously thick plum colored hair? _Yolei spun around with a look of surprise when her older sister by only two years unexpectedly barged into her room.

"Don't you knock? Geez! Is the word 'privacy' even in your vocabulary?"

Undeterred by Yolei's ranting; Chizuru cleared a spot on the cluttered bed and sat down. Her eyes roamed the temporarily messy room until they settled on a cute lavender halter-neck sun dress half-submerged in a pile of clothes Yolei had pulled out her wardrobe and tossed on the floor

"I'd bet you'd look hot in this!" Chizuru sang as she held the dress up.

Yolei's cheeks bloomed with color. She snatched the dress away from her sister, resenting Chizuru's devilish grin.

"Are you kidding me?! This isn't a _date_ date! It's just a friendly excursion to go see flowers!"

"Poor girl. You're in denial. But never fear! Chizuru's here with her infinite dating wisdom!" Chizuru stuck her finger in the air proudly as she spoke.

Yolei choked back a laugh. It's just that 'Chizuru' and 'wisdom' weren't usually used in the same sentence.

"I'll probably regret this. Alright. Enlighten me."

"Well, _Glitter Girl Glamour_ magazine says this is your season for love! And, if your date holds you close and tells you how your eyes sparkle when the moon light hits the cherry blossoms then you know you've found your soul mate!"

Yolei stared blankly at Chizuru. _Well, whaddya know? I regret it! _

"That's your infinite wisdom?! It's absurd!"

Chizuru's expression softened.

"Sweet sixteen and never been kissed, huh?"

Yolei felt the blood drain from her face. _Thanks, Chizuru. I wasn't thinking about kissing Ken until you brought it up! This'll be my first kiss! Well, not counting Tommy back in the 1__st__ grade. That little love affair ended when his crayons were finished. He had the sixty-four pack. With the sharpener. Oh yeah. No girl could resist a six year old with crayons… _Chizuru saw how tense and worried her younger sibling seemed, and decided to offer some sisterly advice.

"Aww! You're nervous, aren't you? It's easy! Just wrap your arms around his neck, lean closer to him, close your eyes and kiss the guy! Oh, and don't forget to breathe!"

"Wait! Could you repeat that? I wanna write it down!" Yolei scrambled to find a pen and paper.

X

The a/c felt wonderful and the cushy beige sofa was more comfortable than usual on this hot, humid late spring afternoon. Sora lounged on the living room sofa; engrossed in the latest issue of _Designer Fashion_magazine. She planned on going to design school after graduation. Sora let all the tension of the week dissipate with each muscle she relaxed. Her cell phone started ringing on the glass coffee table next to the sofa. Putting down her magazine, she stretched over to grab it.

"Hello, Tai"

"Hey Sora…How's it going? So you knew it was me?" The familiar, slightly more mature yet still boyish voice of her old friend greeted. Something in his voice was different somehow.

"Yeah. Cell phones do have caller id nowadays… duh. What can I do for you today, Mr. Kamiya?"

"Well, um… I sorta need the notes for the biology homework assignment meant for next week…" Yup. She wasn't imagining it. He did sound strange. But she couldn't put her finger on it.

"You fell asleep during class again, didn't you?"

"I wasn't asleep, I closed my eyes! There's a difference! Anyway, I closed my eyes for five minutes and the next thing I know I've got biology homework."

"My sympathy for you is overwhelming…" Sora tried not to laugh.

"Very funny. I'm serious, Sora! Will you please lend me your notes?"

"Sure. Alright. But you owe me. I take cash and express."

"Just put it on my tab. Thanks, Sora." He chuckled.

"Would it be alright if I come over this evening? For the notes, I mean…" There it was again. What was so unusual about his voice? He continued when she remained quiet.

"Then, maybe afterwards, we could go to the…ah, Sakura festival…thing. That is, if you don't have plans or anything."

That's it! She'd figured it out! His voice lacked the confidence it normally carried-and it was all because he was nervous talking to her!

"Sora, are… are you still there?" Sora tensed, forgetting that he was on the phone and he'd just asked her out. Her heart sank.

"Yes." She managed a stiff reply.

"Tai, I'm sorry, I cant. I've already planned to go with Kaede and Mimi."

"I do accept rain-checks." Tai's was hopeful.

Sora felt her heart twist and knot as she desperately tried to find the right words to tell him as to not shatter his heart.

"Sora, I need to tell you something…something I've wanted to tell you for a very long time now…" He continued; his voice unsteady.

_Oh, please, Tai, don't… _Sora mentally willed him not to speak the words she knew he was going to.

"So I'm going to come right out and say it before I lose my nerve."

She smiled slightly. _You? Lose your nerve?_

"We've known each other for as long as I can remember, and I care about you, Sora, more than a normal friend would. What I'm trying to say is…I think I'm falling in love with you."

X

The evening was warm with an atmosphere of ethereal enchantment and serene blissfulness. The cherry tree's blooming branches were lit by the soft glow of many lanterns. Couples walked hand in hand, and families strolled along the park path admiring the flowers with the feeling they'd been transported to a whimsical world. Stalls had been set up to sell refreshments, trinkets and small art pieces of the scenery. Yolei could only describe it all as one word: Magical.

Ken had picked her up at six. He'd shyly told her how great she looked in the lavender halter-neck dress. She told him he looked very dashing this evening. They'd walked in awkward silence until reaching the park. By then, of course, Yolei wouldn't stop talking. They headed to the pathway lined with cherry trees. Ken saw a couple holding hands pass them. Hoping his palms weren't sweaty he took her hand in his. Yolei stopped mid sentence when she felt him take her hand. Ken smiled gently when she looked at him.

"Why don't we go to the clearing where we can see the stars?" Ken tugged her arm in the direction he wanted to go.

Yolei's heart skipped a beat. Thank goodness she'd brought her sisters' instruction notes…_oh crud! I forgot the notes! _In a momentary brainwave malfunction, Yolei had left the notes on her nightstand! The pair reached the clearing in the tree filled park. Ken let go of Yolei's hand to marvel at the starry sky. Moonlight illuminated the blossoms with a faint iridescent glow.

_Be calm, Yolei! You can do it! How hard can it be! Think! Was it lean close then put your arms around him, or was closing your eyes first? No! That's not right! _Yolei panicked when trying to recall the correct sequence. Ken had noticed she'd grown quiet.

"Yolei, are you…" He stopped when she lifted her head to look at him. The moonlight hit her face and glinted off the copper flecks in her eyes.

"Wow...your eyes…I never noticed how much they sparkle." Ken blinked.

Yolei's breath caught, becoming aware of how his blue eyes were almost a luminous in the moonshine. Her sister was right after all! Now for the kiss! _Guess I'm gonna have to wing it… here goes nothing!_Offering up a small prayer, Yolei moved closer to him. Ken was frozen in shock as she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him. At that moment every uncertainty within Yolei cleared. Everything was perfect. Everything was right.

Mimi and Sora met up with Kaede at the crowded park. Kaede was an eighteen year old girl, slender and of medium height. She had long dark brown hair with a hint of copper. Her eyes were an astounding shade of azure blue. Mimi and Sora were two of her best friends since back in the early digital world years. It was a girl's night out! Giggling and gossiping, the trio enjoyed browsing the stalls and checking out the guys; rating their looks as they passed by. The girls took a seat on a park bench where they could watch the people go by while having their drinks. A guy paused to peruse the paintings stall.

"Hey Mimi, what about that one? I give him 6/10 for style so far." Kaede nudged Mimi in the side to look at him.

Mimi sized him up. He must've been about eighteen. His hair was auburn with his fringe swept to the left of his face. That's all she could tell from the glimpse she got of his face before his back was to her. He wore cargo pants and a stylish hooded shirt with its sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

"Yeah, he's cute, but I don't know about his style. My overall assessment, I'll give him an 8/10." Mimi said airily and took a sip of her vanilla cola.

She kept an eye on the guy, watching as he turned around after being addressed by a few girls. He smiled and chatted with them. Kaede and Sora gasped with rounded eyes.

"It's Izzy!"

Mimi lurched forward and spat out her mouthful of cola with the sheer shock of it all.

"Izzy?!" She coughed and wiped her mouth delicately with the back of her hand.

"No way! He's…" Sora was lost for words.

Kaede and Sora stared with jaws agape.

"He's…digivolved?" Mimi couldn't blink.

Izzy had styled his hair in such a way that it looked longer and straighter at the ends as apposed to before when it appeared shorter and curled inwards. Instead of usually parting his fringe in the middle of his forehead, he'd styled it to the left. He had also changed his wardrobe. Izzy might not have looked that different in appearance, but it was the new found self assurance that had made him unrecognizable.

X

After a fun filled evening with the girls, Sora felt refreshed and light hearted. She exited the elevator to her floor with a spring in her step. For a few hours, she'd forgotten about her crush on him and the way her heart ached to tell him how she felt. For now she was happy and care free.

"Hi mom! I'm back! I got you a painting from the matsuri stalls! Mom?" Sora dropped her bag at the door and stepped into the living room to find her mother. She froze dead in her tracks when she saw him seated across from her mom at the dining table. Her mother's face looked anxious. Sora's eyes widened with horrified astonishment. She could feel herself trembling as the word formed in her dry throat.

"Dad?"

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_That was a long one, eh? So what do ya think? Sorry! Ideas just flowed and before someone tells me "don't cram to much into one chapter," I already thought of that! Each chapter is gonna have plenty drama, believe you me! Reviews would be great! (hint hint)_

_Author's notes:__Right, I suppose you're thinking to yourself; 'why the heck is Tai telling Sora how he feels when he's busy locking lips with more than three girls a day?' Well, Tai would most probably forfeit the bet if Sora returned his sentiments. _

**Chapter 4:**

Kari is determined to talk to an evasive TK. Tai is depressed, and to make matters worse, his grades in Biology are not getting any better. He gets paired with someone who can tutor him, problem is, they don't always get along…Everyday drama continues!


	4. Chapter 4: Color me Blue

_Once again, a massive dose of gratitude aimed at all the people who reviewed my chapters! I feel so privileged! __**Aster Selene, Koumiloccness and Light-of-hope-07**__- you guys made my day! _**A few notes**: _The beginning of this chapter shows a Mimi that __**PrincessJaded **__opened me up to, a Mimi with attitude! I don't want to put anyone off the story by using a little language. It's not my writing style to use strong bad language, so I can't bring myself to type it out completely. I'm a dork, I know. Also, if it seems to contain Davis bashing, it's not intentional. I love the little goggle boy but it's so easy to turn a situation humorous with him in it! This chapter contains a lot of dialogue and is centered mainly at school. Hope that's not boring. Alrighty, enough rambling. _

**Chapter 4****Color me Blue**

"_Daddy! Please don't go! I promise I won't kick the soccer ball in the house anymore! Please, stay with me!" Rivers of tears flowed. Her big, glistening brown eyes pleaded desperately with him. He could see the hurt and confusion in his seven year old daughter's face and it was tearing him in two. "I'm sorry, Sora." The words seemed hollow and inadequate in comparison to how tumultuous he felt within. There was nothing more he could say. Nothing more he or Toshiko could do to salvage a broken marriage._

Their marriage had ended in divorce. Haruhiko had always put his prestigious career ahead of his family. Sora would never forget the sight of her father turning his back on her and her mother. Or how much her heart ached watching him get into his car and driving away. He'd driven out of their lives. It amazed her how much it still affected her after eleven years. She thought she'd put those feelings behind her and dealt with it. Sora sat up in bed with her knees drawn up close to her chest. The bed covers were pulled up and over her shoulders. Her face was tear-streaked and her eyes had dark circles under them. She stared vacantly at a poster on the wall. The bedroom was dark and gloomy, mirroring how she felt right then. The curtains had been drawn shut and were now forbidding the entrance of morning light.

After all these years he suddenly wanted to get to know his own daughter? Why the sudden change? Was he just expecting her to forgive him for all the times she needed a father and he wasn't around? Fresh tears slid down her cheeks. Snatching up her phone she dialed a number without thinking.

"Hello? Mimi? I really need to see you right now…" Sora spoke with a faltering voice.

X

Mimi tapped her foot anxiously while she waited at the much loved hang-out her and her friends would constantly visit. 'Bento Café' was a small café on the Rainbow Promenade in Aqua City. It had a spectacular view of the Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba bay.

Where was she? She'd sounded awful over the phone and Mimi knew something was wrong. Now Mimi was worried sick. She stopped the waiter as he walked by.

"Excuse me, do you have the time? I left my watch at home." Mimi asked with earnest honey brown eyes. A young man in the booth behind her took one look at the stunning girl and a dopey smile crossed his face.

"Hey, gorgeous. I have the time for you." The young man butted in before the waiter could speak. Aggravated, Mimi turned to frown at him. She was in no mood to deal with this fool.

"Um, I wasn't asking you…thanks anyway." She said with cold politeness.

Disregarding the girls' icy brush off, he proceeded nonetheless…much to Mimi's displeasure.

"The time now is 12:25. And do you know what that means?"

"Yeah. Time for you to f#k off!" She could feel her temper rising.

"No, sweet stuff! Time for you to give me your number!" He was relentless.

_Persistent, isn't he? Can't he take a strongly worded hint? Was I being too subtle?!_

"Don't you have a 'losers-are-us' party to get to?" Mimi growled in irritation. If this idiot didn't remove himself from her space soon she would be forced to go all 'wild-freaky-cavewoman' on him with a fork.

"How about the two of us turn it into a slumber party- if you know what I mean?"

Mimi was repulsed by such a vulgar suggestion! It was time to haul out the big guns…

"Sadly, I do. And I don't have time to grab tweezers and go on a treasure hunt. Yeah, that's right, I went there!"

The young man's face held a stunned expression that said _'__I can't believe you just obliterated my pride.'_ Then he cracked-getting up quickly from the booth he ran out of the café crying.

"You've just been dissed by Tachikawa Mimi. Do come again." Someone said drolly.

"Matt?" Mimi whirled around to face the one who spoke.

"The one and only. Aren't you supposed to be on a dating hiatus?" Matt took a seat across from her and set his cardboard bento box containing take-out on the table.

"That doesn't stop guys from trying. I'm still not dating until further notice. What are you doing this side of town?" Mimi became aware of how close he was and her senses tingled.

"Band rehearsal. We got a gig coming up. The guys got hungry during practice and after flipping a coin I was made to get lunch." Matt laughed.

Mimi tried her best to concentrate on what he was saying, but was distracted by the choruses of many love songs playing in her head. Mimi had dated Michael for three years. Michael wanted space and broke up with Mimi. Broken hearted, Mimi swore off love and dating for awhile. Matt had been there to lend a friendly shoulder for her to cry on and offered comforting words to soothe her wounded spirit and heal her shattered heart. She kept telling herself he would've done it for any of his friends, but that didn't stop feelings for him from developing. Each day she wondered if perhaps one day the feelings would be reciprocal.

"And what brings you here by yourself on a Sunday afternoon? Are you doing ok? You look distracted." Matt's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Who me? I'm fabulous as ever! Sora wanted me and Kaede to meet her here. They should arrive at any minute. I hope she's alright; when she called me she sounded upset." The concern returned. Mimi couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy stir at the look on Matt's face after Sora's name was mentioned.

"So do I. I'll give her a call later to make sure everything's ok. I'd better get going before the guys start chewing on the furniture in starvation. Later, Meems." Standing up and taking his lunch, Matt strode away. Mimi was left to her thoughts of Matt and…Izzy and his new look?

X

It was a Monday morning. Tai was typically late for school and in the foulest of moods after having one of the worst weekends to date. Brad, Matt and Joe spotted the 'storm clouds' approaching with each step closer Tai took toward them down the hallway.

"Brace yourselves, gentlemen." Brad cautioned in a low tone.

"How's it going, dude?" Brad tentatively asked when Tai reached them.

"Fine." Was the rigid reply. Tai opened his locker door with such force his three friends took a step back in fear of him breaking it off its hinges.

"Hi guys! What's up?!" The cheery greeting of Davis met their ears. Brad, Matt and Joe exchanged glances-Davis was the last person for Tai to be around while in a stormy disposition. Davis was in the danger zone and oblivious to it!

"Did you go to the race this weekend? Man, it was awesome! That new team, 'Blitz' something or other wiped the floor with our rival team! Isn't that great?!" Davis jabbered on, ignorant to the dark way Tai was glaring at him.

Brad and Matt stood behind Tai waving their hands before them in a 'shut-up' gesture. Davis obviously didn't get the hint because he continued talking.

"That new team said they were gonna grind us to dust. That's when I told them exactly where to get off! I told those egotistical clowns that we'd beat them any time any place! And they accepted my challenge."

On hearing this, Tai grabbed Davis by the shirt collar and lifted him up to his level.

"You. Did. WHAT?!" Tai bit the sentence in half through clenched teeth.

"I did it for the team… I couldn't let them get away with calling us street scum…" Davis' feet dangled an inch or two off the ground.

"You're not on the team, Davis! And in case you've forgotten, my bike's in the shop for repairs!" Tai was exasperated.

"No problem, Tai! I'll call and reschedule!" Davis laughed nervously.

"You can reschedule if you want. It won't change the fact that we're going to annihilate you all; whether it's tomorrow or next year." A tall, thin 11th grader with red streaks in his black spiky hair interrupted. Tai dropped Davis, who landed with a thud. _I really don't need this right now…_

"You might want to stop off at the nurses' office before class for a reality check." Tai squared his shoulders in a more defiant and self-assured stance.

"Yeah. Tell me, does she still hand out lolly-pops to all the little kids?" A grinning Matt remarked with wit, implying that the 11th grader fell into the 'little kid' category. Davis, Brad and Joe snickered at Matt's comment.

"You just got burned! And don't count on us rescheduling the race coz we never back away from a challenge!" Davis spoke up in a moment of boldness. The leader stared him down.

"The last I checked, you weren't even on the team, doofus!"

"Back off, Julius!" Tai stepped in to defend Davis.

"Julius?" Brad snorted with laughter upon learning the tough guy's weird name.

"After Julius Caesar, ok?! And seeing that my namesake was a diplomatic conqueror, I'm inspired to be gracious and let you losers fix up your 'tricycles' so that the 'Blitzkrieg' team can turn them into scrap metal once we beat you. Two weeks from now. The night of the Tenka parade. Blitzkrieg vs. Pantera. Winner takes all." Julius presented the challenge.

"You're on." Tai accepted with the fierce glint in his eye he got whenever he was challenged.

* * *

"The Pulmonary artery then carries sad blood without oxygen away from the heart and to the lungs while from the lungs the Pulmonary vein takes happy blood with oxygen to the heart. Isn't that fascinating?!" Mr. Kishimoto lectured on the workings of human anatomy with more enthusiasm than necessary. He'd crossed the line from enthusiasm to eccentric when he started drawing little smiley faces and sad ones on his illustrated heart diagram on the board.

Tai was a million miles away. He stared into space, hearing his teacher's voice fade into the background of his thoughts. The only voice he could hear now was Sora's. Replaying the conversation from Saturday, Tai relived the heart break again. _"Don't fall in love with me, Tai…you can't." "But I did. And I can't ignore how I feel." "Then I need to be honest with you. I do love you, but as a friend."_ Tai couldn't believe she'd used the clichéd 'friend' line on him! _"You weren't meant to love me, because, maybe, I'm meant to love somebody else. Please, understand."_ Tai wasn't sure if he could look Sora in the eyes now without wanting to shrivel up inside. That one sentence had brought his world crashing down. It had turned his life inside out; so much so that he'd left his pathetic attempt at Biology homework at home! And to put the icing on the cake, he'd missed countless opportunities to get ahead in the bet because of his sulking!

Something small and hard smacked his cheek. He turned his head to the side to see who the culprit was. The person delivered another stinging hit. Finding its source, Tai glowered. A girl seated across from him was breaking off tiny pieces of her eraser and throwing it at him.

"What?!" Tai hissed, incredibly annoyed.

"I'm trying to save your sorry butt from another 'F'!" She whispered back fiercely with flashing blue eyes.

"I never asked you to 'save' me from anything! Just mind your business, Kaede!"

"Well excuse me for thinking that _'da-da-da-F'_ was the music they played when somebody needed rescuing from a bad grade!" Kaede tried to keep her voice down and still put emphasis on the music notes when singing them.

Along with Sora and Mimi, Kaede was one of Tai's closest lady friends. In the digitalworld, Kaede had been assigned as Tai's digiguardian partner. As close as they were, Kaede was smart-mouthed and stubborn; not to mention quick tempered. This led to plenty of pointless arguments over stupid things which they'd normally forget about within 24 hours.

"Then you must hear that a lot when it comes to Math! Your algebra grades sank lower than the Titanic!" Tai shot back venomously. Kaede gasped in indignation.

"No you did not just go there!"

"Oh yes. I did." Tai spoke low. He smirked with satisfaction when he saw Kaede's face turn from a pretty flushed pink to a dark-red. Her lips formed a tight straight line and her eyes went squinty like they always did when they narrowed in an angry scowl. It was classic. Well, that sure cheered him up!

"Mr. Kamiya! Miss Kanbara!" The deep voice of an irate Mr. Kishimoto echoed in the now quiet classroom.

"Yes, sir?" Tai and Kaede's heads whipped to the front of the class in fright. All eyes were on them. Matt slapped his face. The two were hopeless. Mimi averted her eyes, suddenly finding the text book very fascinating. Brad, Joe and Izzy stared.

"See me after class."

"Yes, sir." Both Tai and Kaede sank low into their seats. Mr. Kishimoto eyed them a moment longer to let the foreboding sink in. Using that ominous tone scared the hell out of them. It was something he'd perfected over the years…It was all apart of Miss Yoshie's popular 'psychological warfare' technique for discipline she'd taught them in the teacher's lounge.

X

"Alright. Which one of you was the delinquent who put gum in my text book? I can't turn the pages!" Miss Mimosa's Monday morning was off to a rough start.

Davis and a group of his friends were at the back of the class and smothering their laughter. TK would've found Davis' antics entertaining but he was too busy avoiding eye contact with a certain brunette. Even sitting a row apart from each other, Kari could feel the tension between her and the boy who'd stolen her heart. She kept flipping through the mental files of her memory to gain some sort of insight as to what she might've done to make TK act the way he did. He was deliberately avoiding her like the plaque.

Whenever Kari cast a glance his way, TK would resist the urge to meet her gaze. He was petrified that when she saw his eyes she would see deep into his heart, and know what a coward he was for not being able to admit how much he cared about her. And it wasn't rocket science to figure out that his cold behavior was pushing her away. One had to wonder how much longer before she was out of his reach.

"Davis Motamiya…" Miss Mimosa slammed her open palm on the surface of a laughing Davis' desk. The boy with hair the color of candlewood shut up instantly with a startled jump.

"Hi, Miss Mimosa! You look lovely this morning!" Davis grinned broadly at his young attractive teacher.

"Congratulations, Davis! You and your friends have just won an all expenses paid trip to the principals' office! And you get to take this with you!" Miss Mimosa smiled a sarcastic smile and revealed the piece of pink gum she'd been holding.

"What? No! That's not mine! Honest! I only chew the green gum with minty-fresh flavor! Please don't send me to his office! I'm allergic to the principal! The overexposure is going to kill me!" Davis protested desperately.

"Does this look like a face that cares?" His teacher pointed a dainty, manicured finger at her face.

"How could you be so heartless? And to think I did my homework for you!" Davis pouted.

"Build a bridge and get over it, Davis. Alright class, moving on. There's a new student joining us today. He's from America, and I'd like you all to make him feel welcome." Making her way to the front of the classroom, the teacher motioned for the new student to enter the class.

"Hi everyone! I'm Willis! Nice to meet you!"

TK's head shot up at the sound of Willis' voice, an expression of shear astonishment on his face. Rena's breath caught. Kari's eyes widened. Davis' jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight of the now older, very good looking blue-eyed, ice-blond digidestined from Colorado. TK and Davis had never been fond of the guy because he showed a lot of interest in Rena and Kari-especially Kari.

"Seeing that our culture and way of learning is very different from where you're from, I'm going to pair one of you with Willis to help him along in his first week. How about…Kari Kamiya." Miss Mimosa randomly picked Kari after scanning all the faces.

She pointed her out to Willis, who instantly recognized her. He flashed a warm, dazzling smile her way that made her heart jump and brought a slight blush to her cheeks. Willis claimed the empty desk behind Kari and in front of Rena so he could be next to them both.

"It's been a while! You're both more beautiful then I remembered!" Willis sweet-talked in a low voice. Rena and Kari felt their cheeks warm again. Davis growled and TK tightened his fist and broke the pencil he held in half, scarcely containing his jealousy.

"I've got a feeling I'm gonna like it here. I know you're gonna do a great job at showing me around, right Kari?" He smiled again and looked deep into her eyes with such intensity that Kari couldn't speak. All she could do was nod.

X

The school bell rang signaling the end of another school day-the best school day ever! Izzy was on cloud nine and in a state of bliss. It felt like heaven was closer than he could've ever dreamed possible. He let out a wistful sigh thinking about all the girls who had been falling at his feet. Izzy reckoned after having the 'makeover', he'd reached 'Adonis' status like Tai, Matt and Brad.

"Izzy, is something wrong?" Joe put a hand on his friends' shoulder.

"No, my good man. Everything is perfect. Should there be something wrong?" Izzy sat at his desk with his head resting on his hands, smiling to himself.

"You tell me! School's out for the day and you're still sitting there! You've had that ridiculous look on your face all day and quite honestly, it's beginning to freak me out." Izzy's weird behavior had Joe befuddled. "Is it because you changed your hair? Is that why you're acting so…so 'not Izzy'?"

Izzy paid no attention to Joe and had stopped packing his books into his bag when Mimi in her cute green and white cheerleader outfit entered the now empty-ish classroom.

"Have you seen my pom-poms? I'm sure I left them in here." Mimi's long, silky cinnamon brown hair was tied up in a pony-tail for cheer practice. She smiled to herself once she'd spotted the pom-poms on top of the metal stationery supplies cabinet in the corner of the class. Izzy and Joe watched Mimi stretch to get them, but her finger tips could only just brush the things.

"Izzy, could you help?" For reasons unknown, she had asked help from Izzy-who was the same height as she was. _Why didn't I ask Joe? He's taller! Stupid Mimi! Stupid!_

Izzy felt like lead and couldn't move a muscle. All he did was stare at the slender figured girl struggling to reach the pom-poms. As much as he willed himself to move, his legs refused. Sighing and adjusting his glasses, Joe strode over to Mimi and effortlessly retrieved the pom-poms for her.

"Thanks, Joe! I gotta run! Oh, by the way Izzy, your new look is great! Toodles!" Mimi smiled sweetly and darted out the classroom. Izzy's jaw dropped. Stunned by the compliment, he still didn't move. Joe shook his head at the agape look of awed shock on the young mans' face. He knew that besotted look well.

"Izzy, you're smart, but an idiot. You're a 'smidiot'." Joe chuckled at himself, thinking he was very funny for coming up with the new word. Izzy's expression remained unchanged.

"I think I liked the dopey look better."

X

The humid air enveloped Tai the minute he stepped out the school building. The day from hell was almost over, and all he wanted to do now was go home and lock himself in his room for the rest of the year. Mr. Kishimoto had yelled at him for not handing in his biology assignment, telling him that if his grades in the subject didn't improve, he'd have to take summer school classes! And as if that wasn't punishment enough, he'd ordered that Kaede be his tutor. Fate was cruel… and fate decided to deal him another sucker punch when Mr. Kishimoto told him that he had to tutor Kaede in Math seeing that her grades were poor. Tai wanted to kick something he was so frustrated!

Lost in his miserable musings, Tai crossed the school parking lot to his car. That's when he caught sight of two familiar people standing talking under the tree outside the car lot gates. It was Matt and Sora. Tai's fist clenched tight and his knuckles whitened._ So is he the one she's meant to love?_

X

TK saw her standing outside the doors of the school. She was alone. This was the perfect time to talk to her and try to make things right. Digging deep, TK summoned up a little courage. He drew in a deep breath and started taking a step toward Kari when someone else joined her. Kari smiled and laughed at Willis as they began to walk out the school premises-together. Defeated, TK could only watch Willis and Kari's figures grow smaller as they moved further down the street. The worst of it all was that he was to blame, and if he lost her to another, he'd never be able to live with the guilt.

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_It's official. This chapter was really slow and terrible!! *bows for forgiveness* I promise the next one will be a lot better! I tried everything to make it satisfactory, but alas, this was the best I could do. Hope you still continue reading and reviewing this story anyway after a dud chapter! _'Reviews are like sunshine, as a dose of warm light can make the flowers grow with happiness, so a good review can make an author glow with joy and grow in skill.'

_**Chapter 5**_

_TK is finding it hard to see Kari spending so much time showing Willis around. Will he pick himself up out of his guilt-induced depression and fight for her? And what's happening with the bet?! _

_It's that time again! Time for more useless but interesting factoids!_

_**The Rainbow Bridge**__: This bridge in Odaiba was named after a rainbow because its colors when illuminated changed throughout the year to match each season. How awesome is that?! _


	5. Chapter 5: Tears like Rain

_Another long chapter. Sorry! Alright people. Prepare for drama. _

**Chapter 5: ****Tears like Rain**

It was mid spring and nearing summer. Already the cicadas filled the air with their noisy cacophony of high pitched ratcheting. It was deafening. But not as deafening as the awkward silence they walked in. Matt had offered to walk Sora home in order to talk for a while on the way. He hated to admit it, but lately he'd been steering clear of Sora. Not all the time, only when a situation would arise where he would be alone with her. Funny how he'd deliberately just put himself in the exact position he'd been trying to stay out of!

Matt pondered why he'd suddenly become uncomfortable around a friend he'd been close to for so many years. Perhaps the way he saw her now had all changed after a snowy Christmas Eve the year before. He'd never seen anyone look as beautiful as Sora had that night. She had literally taken his breath away! Matt's usual confidence wavered now that he walked by her side. Sora looked tense. Her shoulders were rigid and she held her hands clasped before her, keeping her face lowered. Matt was sure it was so she could hide her turmoil.

"I heard about your dad coming back to town. I'm sorry. I know the two of you don't see eye to eye." Matt broke the tense silence as they neared Odaiba Park. He really wanted to ask her how she was feeling, but decided it was the last question she wanted to answer; besides it was plain to see how she was feeling.

"Yeah. My mom thinks it'll be good for me to spend some time with him." Sora found it hard to confide in her good friend-it was as if he'd instantly turned into a stranger when cast in loves' new light. Matt kept quiet whilst searching for the right words to comfort her. How come it had been so much easier consoling Mimi during her break up? Sora finally lifted her head to look up at him. Matt was struck by the beauty of her eyes when filled with such raw emotion.

"Do you think I should? See him, I mean. Do you think I should give him another chance? After he just left us and hardly called? After he missed every important day of my life? After how much I pleaded with him not to go?" Sora's voice was thick with what she felt was a lifetime of hurt. Not being able to control herself, she broke down in tears. Her shoulders shook violently with deep sobs and she covered her face with her hands. Matt's heart ached for her pain, understanding it well because he had been there. His parents had divorced too.

Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around a crying Sora's shaking body, and just held her.

X

Kari and Willis strolled down the hallway. They talked and laughed happily. Kari felt like her normal happy self around him. She had spent most of the afternoon the day before with Willis, showing him around. They'd gone out sight seeing, and enjoyed each other's company. Willis now reminded her of when they got milkshakes and the waiter had done a face plant next to them after tripping over his own feet.

"We laughed so hard, milkshake came out of our noses! Poor guy! He probably quit right then and there!" Kari laughed just thinking about the recent funny occurrence.

"Kari, I never thanked you for being so nice to a new guy like me. I had fun yesterday. So thank you." Willis drew closer to Kari, and delivered a quick thank you kiss to her lips. Kari was bowled over. Her wide eyes watched Willis walk away waving. Kari's fingers touched her lips. The first time Willis had kissed her had been after they'd first met in America. But this time it made her feel different. Kari failed to notice that TK had witnessed the entire thing.

X

The boy's locker room was alive with the rowdy voices of boisterous 10th and 9th grade boys getting changed for P.E period.

"He's got every girl in the 9th grade 'twitterpated'! It's only been one day and he's got his own fan club! That smooth-talking, hot shot, good for nothing pretty boy!" Davis vented after putting on the white P.E top with green trim.

He violently threw his school shirt into the small clothes locker as if it were the cause of all his misery. And incase nobody knew he was livid, he slammed the metal locker door shut, making it vibrate with the sheer force of the action.

"I presume you're speaking of Willis?'" Ken raised an eye brow while bending over to tie his shoelaces. He had inadvertently aggravated Davis further. Nostrils flaring, Davis faced Ken.

"Who else would I be talking about?! Of course it's Willis! He's already got Rena looking at him all lovey-dovey with those big brown eyes! You'd think he'd stop at a gorgeous blond, but no! He's into brunette goddesses as well! Namely, Kari! I'd be worried if I were you, pal!"

"And why is that, Davis?" Ken didn't understand why Davis was going all ballistic over some transfer student. Davis saw TK wince at the corner of his eye at the mention of Kari and Willis. Kari and Willis spending so much time together drove TK up the wall.

"Wake up Ken! I bet Yolei's not immune to his evil charms! I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I saw him flirting with Yolei earlier while the two of them were talking!" Davis watched Ken's reaction to the bit of news. Ken's dark blue eyes darkened and a muscle in his jaw jerked. He wasn't usually the jealous type, but…

"I'd be careful Ken, or you might just end up the loser like poor T.P over here." Davis, being his typical tactless self, waved a thumb over at an incensed TK. All three boys shot the mother of all glares in the direction of an oblivious Willis.

X

Meanwhile, in the girl's locker room: Yolei, Kari and Rena stood together and got changed into their gym uniforms. Yolei hadn't stopped talking about her incredible date with Ken for two days straight, and now, she continued to talk about it. BIG surprise there.

"Don't you just _love_ love?" Yolei sang in ebullient bliss.

"Still on about that date with Ken, huh? You must've kissed then, coz you haven't stopped smiling since Sunday." Rena folded her school clothes neatly and placed them in the clothing locker.

"A girl never kisses and tells! And speaking of love, I spoke to Willis today. He's still totally dreamy! It seems he's head over heels for you, Kari." Yolei chirped, tying her long hair back. Kari's jaw dropped at Yolei's words.

"What?! No! We're friends! I don't…" Kari was flustered and knew she was doing a bad job at convincing her two friends that Willis didn't have a crush on her-but after the kiss he'd given her that morning; she herself was having a hard time believing it! Rena frowned and Yolei smiled cunningly.

"I see how it is. This is one of those classic love triangles. Who are you going to choose? The dashing, ever charming Willis, or the dreamy, popular TK?" It was times such as these that Kari wished Yolei had been born mute.

"TK wants nothing to do with me; avoiding me every chance he gets, so I guess that leaves Willis, doesn't it?" Kari blurted out in a wave of anger. She instantly regretted speaking. Rena was on the verge of erupting. She loathed seeing her positive, sweet friend Kari constantly morose and moody nowadays. Enough was enough!

"Will you tell him how you feel already?! It's time to leave your pity party on planet 'Poor me'! So he's avoiding you? Just bake him his favorite peanut butter cookies. Deliver them to him at his house where he can't escape and then say it for goodness sake! It'll make everyone happy!" Rena stunned Yolei and Kari with her unexpected outburst. Rena shut her locker with one forceful thrust and stormed out to the school gym.

"And I thought I was a hot head." Yolei said after recovering from the shock. Kari knew Rena was talking about TK and that she was right. Problem was, the way she felt after being kissed by Willis, her feelings about everything where jumbled and confused. Was TK the one she really loved? Now she was forced to choose!

X

The 9th grade students had P.E lessons in the gym today, while the 10th graders took to the school field for athletic activities. The sound of squeaking sneakers on the polished floors echoed through the high-ceilinged gym.

"When are you guys gonna learn how to pass a ball?! You're in high school now, dammit!" Davis shouted mercilessly at a few classmates. The boys were playing basketball for class.

"Since when did you become crowned 'king of the courts'?" A dark haired boy growled, throwing the ball at Davis. Davis caught the ball and spun it on his one finger in order to show off his 'skill'.

"Since birth. There, you see? You just learnt how to pass. It's called reverse psychology. Am I great or what?" He raked a hand through his messy hair and grinned proudly. TK rolled his eyes at his friends' boasting. The girls entered the gym. Willis immediately sought out Kari.

"Hey Kari! This next shot's for you!"

Kari watched as Willis showed off his technique by jumping and putting the ball through the hoop. His aim to impress worked like a charm! All the girls applauded and sighed with admiration. TK could've killed the dreamy blond American with his bare hands! Davis caught the ball after it went through the hoop, and eagerly searched for another teammate to pass it to. Spotting TK, he decided to imitate Willis' pro-ball passing technique in an attempt to out do him.

"TK! It's your ball!" TK was too wrapped up in his murderous thoughts of reducing Willis to a mere smear on the wall to notice the basket ball zooming toward him! Rena was behind TK with a few other girls.

"TK! Look out!" Rena screamed. TK zoned back in, and hit the floor with speedy reflexes. Rena wasn't as lucky! With TK out of the way, the ball smacked her in the face instead! She was knocked to the ground with a loud crash and lay there motionless. The girls gasped and gathered around her to ensure she was still alive. TK felt awful. Davis stood there staring in wide eyed shock. The two boys were about to go over to their friend and help when lo and behold, Willis in his shining armor came to the rescue. All he needed was the white horse and he'd be the complete _prince charming _package.

"Rena! Your nose…We have to get you to the school nurse." Willis swung one of her arms around his shoulders and helped her stand up. Rena's one hand covered her bleeding nose and she groaned in pain. Davis tugged at his hair with utter frustration and rage. Heavy hearted, TK watched Kari and Willis escort Rena out of the gym together. After what he saw that morning, it was clear he'd lost her.

X

Mimi's honey-gold eyes narrowed slightly with a frown. No matter how hard she tried to focus on the cheer routine being performed by the young girl before her, her eyes would not stop looking at her big, shiny smile and the piece of green stuff from lunch stuck between her braces. _What __is __that? It looks like a piece of green fuzzy broccoli…The poor girl must've been walking around like that the entire day without noticing! _

Mimi gave a glance to one of her friends to see if she saw it too. Maya's bright turquoise colored eyes concentrated on the freshman, but whether or not she noticed the bush growing through the braces didn't show on Maya's face. Mimi loved being head cheerleader; except when it came to cheerleader tryouts. To be honest, it bored her. It never ceased to amaze her how some people trying out for the squad could be so rhythmically challenged. Plus, she hated seeing girls cry if they didn't make the cut. The young hopeful finished her routine with a flourish. She wasn't half bad. If she flossed regularly she might just have some potential.

Maya thanked the girl for trying out with a kind smile. The girl gave a slight bow of respect before leaving the gym. Mimi took a look at the list of names still to try out for the squad. _Chisume Nagasaki… Oh! She was that girl hanging around Tai last week._

Mimi's thoughts roamed. Unbidden, they roamed a little too far when they settled on Matt… She stopped herself from dwelling on him too long … after all, she had sworn off love and dating until further notice. But it seemed her heart hadn't gotten that memo. Twirling a strand of her lovely long, cinnamon brown locks around her finger, Mimi heaved a drained sigh.

"Call in the next contestant."

"That's everyone for today. Chisume cancelled at the last minute." Maya gathered up a few papers and attached them neatly to her red plastic clipboard.

"Thank heaven above! I'm exhausted…" Mimi slumped forward on the paper-filled desk they sat at. She rested her head on the table.

"Too exhausted for shopping?" Maya coaxed with mock astonishment.

"Ugh…" Mimi groaned into the table.

"Hmm… You don't feel sick… Alright! Where's Mimi Tachikawa and what have you done with her?!" Maya playfully pressed the back of her hand to Mimi's forehead.

"Buy me a smoothie at Bento Café and I'll tell you were she is!" Mimi perked, flashing a mischievous smile.

X

Mimi flitted over to her car in merry anticipation of a refreshing smoothie. She hummed the tune to her favorite song. Mimi stopped suddenly when she saw a tall blond standing at her car, waiting. Her heart must've skipped ten beats because standing there waiting for her was Matt Ishida. Despite suddenly becoming extremely self conscious, she managed to smile at him casually. Did he notice how her legs were trembling like sticks of jelly?

"Hey Meems. I've been waiting for you. I need to talk to you about something." Matt pushed his hip away from the side of the car he was leaning against. He placed his hands in his school jacket pockets. He didn't want to make eye contact. Could this mean what she hoped it did? It was as though time stood still for this moment.

"This is kinda awkward, but I need you." He _needed her_? Mimi held her breath. "I need you to help me tell Sora how I feel. You're one of her best friends, so you know her best." Matt looked at her intently. There was the sound of glass shattering, and Mimi was pretty sure it was her heart.

X

Kari added the last ingredient into the large mixing bowl. She dipped a finger in the mixture to taste. She smiled; pleased. Happily kneading the cookie dough, she saw Tai shuffle into the kitchen and open the refrigerator. He leaned lazily over the door as he perused the contents. Grasping the carton of apple juice, Tai looked at her curiously.

"What are you making?"

"Peanut butter cookies."

"Not mom's recipe, I hope."

"No. I got it out of an old recipe book. You might want to use a glass. You know how mom hates it when you drink from the carton." Kari warned when she saw Tai lift the juice carton to his mouth. He brushed her warning off with a wave of his hand and took a big gulp of the juice.

"TAICHI! What have I told you about drinking from the carton?! Use a glass! I didn't raise a caveman!" Yuuko lightly smacked Tai over the head angrily. His mom had the knack of appearing out of no-where. Tai got such a fright he messed juice all over his shirt.

"Yes mom…Don't even say it." Tai turned to Kari as he left to change his shirt. Kari smiled a satisfied _I told you so_ smile as she carried on working the dough. The doorbell rang, and Yuuko answered. Seconds later, Kaede greeted Kari in the kitchen. Kaede was like the big sister Kari never had.

"Ooh! Cookies!" Kaede tasted a piece of the dough. "They're gonna turn out great!"

"Thanks. Tai will be out in a minute. He went to put on a clean shirt."

"He drank out of the carton again, huh? He never learns. I'm not staying. I just came by to pick up the math notes. I've never hated numbers so much in my entire life. Besides, Tai said he needed alone time with his bike after leaving it at the repair shop. Are those cookies for TK by any chance?" Kaede leaned against the kitchen counter. Kari blushed slightly with a shy nod, the insightful question catching her off guard. Kaede's expression softened.

"Grandma always said a love unspoken leads to a heavy heart. Or was that from a fortune cookie? Good luck." Kaede winked and gave the younger girl a hug before leaving.

X

Music filled the garage along with the sound of teenage boys talking while working on their motorcycles. Izzy was on his lap top assessing the motorbike specs and deciphering the best way to upgrade the bikes and blow the competition away. Izzy was the team's mechanical technologies specialist. A song started playing on the radio.

"They're playing our theme song!" Brad turned up the volume, and everyone except for Joe started singing along.

_Bad boys, bad boys, Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?_

_Bad boys, bad boys, Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?_

They sounded somewhat off key, but didn't care in the least. Joe shook his head at their antics with a smile. He tried to concentrate on the magazine he was reading.

"Do you 'Backstreet Boys' mind? I'm trying to read!"

They stopped singing as soon as the chorus was over.

"Does anybody know the rest of the words?" Matt had a black smear of grease on his cheek.

"Nah. The chorus is all that matters." Izzy gave a laugh and leaned back in the chair with his hands behind his head.

"Hi guys!" Davis walked into Brad's garage unexpectedly.

"Have you come to finish the job and completely break my sister's nose this time?! Who let you in?" Brad barked; apparently still mad about Rena's bloodied nose.

"Well, Rena did. I brought her flowers…" Davis looked bashful. The other boys were taken aback-this was out of the ordinary! So he wasn't a total buffoon when it came to girls.

"Wow, Davis. You've finally grown up some." Joe complimented with a look of wonderment. Davis' features brightened.

"Really? I have? Does that mean I'm grown up enough to join the team?"

"No." The older teens answered in unison. Davis slumped down dejectedly on the old sofa next to Izzy and Joe.

"So, Tai. I heard Kaede's tutoring you in Biology. Lucky you! She turned out to be a looker." Matt jabbed Tai in the ribs and smirked one of those knowing smirks. Tai looked fiercely at him.

"You know if you needed help with Biology, why didn't you ask me?" Joe wanted to know.

"Come on, Joe. We all know that it's not quite as much fun studying human anatomy with a guy." Brad wagged a spanner at Joe with a wide grin plastered on his handsome face. Matt and Izzy snickered. Tai blushed. Davis was completely clueless. "I don't get it."

"You will when you're a big boy, Davis." Brad patted the young teen on the shoulder a few times-it left a black grease stain behind.

"Has it got something to do with the bet you guys have going on?" Perhaps the goggle boy wasn't so clueless after all. The others ceased the laughing and looked at Davis. Davis smirked. He knew he had them right where he wanted.

"You're probably wondering how I found out about that? Well, you're out of luck coz I never reveal my sources…I want in." Davis didn't expect the older boys to start roaring with laughter at his statement.

"What's so funny?! Girls flock to me like moths to a flame! I'm smokin' hot!" He felt his temper rise. Brad wiped a tear from his eye after laughing so hard. "Oh yeah, you're a real babe magnet!"

"Fine. Then I'm afraid I'm gonna have to tell everybody about your roaming lips. Girls tend to act a little medieval when they find out they've been played-I'm talking pitch forks and torches! Unless, you guys let me in on this so I can win that bike and join the team." Davis had a gleam in his eye. His sudden stroke of genius surprised even him. Tai exchanged looks with the others.

"Alright, Davis. You win. If you can kiss the most girls by the end of the semester, you get the bike and a spot on the team." Tai calmly shook Davis' hand in agreement. Davis was so happy he could've jumped over the moon. With Davis out of earshot and busy doing a comical victory dance, Izzy spoke to Tai.

"Are you insane?! You're going to make a fifteen year old a part of a bike racing team?"

"Yes, Izzy. He'll be a member of the team alright-as a mascot." Tai grinned craftily.

X

Kari stood at TK's apartment door. Her heart beat so hard it felt as though it would escape her chest. The sound of distant thunder signaled the approach of an evening storm. She was glad she'd brought her umbrella. After sorting through her feelings, she knew who it was that she truly loved. Kari clutched the box of homemade cookies closer to her chest. She hoped he'd like them. Swallowing hard, Kari knocked. After what seemed an eternity, the door was opened. TK stood in the door way, his face paling upon seeing Kari. Her heart sank. TK didn't look all that happy to see her.

"Come in." He ushered her into the small cozy apartment he shared with his mom. Kari was rigid with nerves, and wasn't sure what to say to him at all. The atmosphere was tense.

"So what brings you here?" TK asked quietly once he'd closed the door. Whenever he saw her the image of Willis giving her that kiss would play continuously in his mind. This ignited all the suppressed frustration into flames and stirred up resentment toward Willis and himself. If he had just told her he loved her sooner this never would've happened. He had lost her, and it was entirely his fault.

"I needed to talk to you. You've been acting kind of strange lately, and I wanted to make sure you were ok. There's something I needed to say to you that I've wanted to say for a while now." Kari spoke softly. She still held onto the red cookie box. A lump formed in TK's throat. He knew it! She didn't care about him the same way he cared about her

"I have something to tell you too, Kari…" He took in a ragged breath. "I don't think we should be friends anymore." TK's back was facing her now. There was a light thud when the umbrella and ribbon adorned box fell to the carpeted floor.

"TK…no…" It was barely a whisper. Kari was dazed and felt numb.

"I'm sorry. It's the best thing for both of us."

"Why TK?! I don't understand?! Is it about Willis? If it is you don't have to worry! It's you I lo…" Kari was desperate.

"Stop Kari! Please! Please…go now…" He heard a sharp intake of breath, and the sound of retreating footsteps as Kari ran out. He fell to his knees. It had started raining. He caught sight of Kari's umbrella on the floor and a box of some sort. A gift? She'd brought him a gift? There was a note attached. It read: '_For TK. To let you know how much I care_'. The realization hit hard. How could he have been such an idiot?! He had to stop her! Grabbing her umbrella, he ran out to catch up to her.

Kari ran with no intention of stopping. She didn't know where she was running to; she just knew she had to get away. TK wanted nothing more to do with her. She had come so close to telling him that she loved him. Never before had she hurt so much. It was pouring rain and Kari had left her umbrella at his apartment. She didn't care. Water streamed down her face merging with the steady flow of her tears.

Once she reached the other end of TK's street, Kari slowed down. She finally stopped at the edge of the curb and wept uncontrollably. TK moved quickly. He had to make things right. He had to find her and tell her he was sorry and that he loved her. Why the hell had it taken so long for him to get to this point? She'd come to tell him she cared and he hadn't given her a chance! The roads were quiet during storms like this at night. A lone car's headlights shone; illuminating a forlorn figure up ahead.

"Kari!" TK called to her through the rain. Kari heard something and squinted through the sheets of rain to see.

"TK?" Hope flickered. He had come after her! TK started to run toward her. Tires screeched. TK's eyes rounded in sheer horror as he watched the same car from before lose control on the wet roads and swerve violently onto the sidewalk toward the terror stricken girl.

"KARI!!!"

*********************************************

_Dom dom dom!! How's that for drama? You're all gonna hate me for this, but it may take a while for chapter 6 to be completed… great time to take a break, huh? Curse cliffhangers! I need time to come up with more for this fic. Won't take more than a couple weeks, promise! _

I forgot the thank yous! To everyone who reads and reviews this fic, I am eternally grateful! And you all have to know this: **YOU ROCK!!!! **Especially those special people who stuck with the story thus far and were kind enough to review almost every chapter-**Aster Selene**, **Light-of Hope-07** and **Koumilocness**, you 3 are SPECTASTIC(spectacular, fantastic) and outright AMAZING!


	6. Chapter 6: What is important

_Whoo!! Amazing what a TEN-hour flight can do to unclog writers' block! This chapter won't be very long (Don't be mad! I know I haven't updated in a long while so you all deserve a longer chapter!) It will be short and filled with drama. I love drama. Do you like drama? Drama's good… Ok I'm jetlagged… This one goes out to all the people who like this fic -especially the loyal reviewers: __**Aster Selene**__, __**Light-of-Hope-07**__, __**Koumiloccness**__, __**alienstarship**__ and __**LalaMae07**__. A big thank you to __**kouhaixsempai**__ and __**shef01animetize**__ for your support! You're the best! Enjoy chapter six. _

**Chapter 6: What is important**

Kari's eyes fluttered open to the blurry image of her parents anxiously standing next to her bedside. She could only just make out Tai's figure in the corner of the brightly lit room. Yuuko held Kari's hand tightly with her face buried in the grayish white hospital bed sheets. The fifteen year old groaned a muffled groan when she tried to move her head to the side. Her entire body ached and felt like it had been hit by a truck…

Disorientated, Kari's soft brown eyes began to focus. Her dad was somber and Tai looked as though he'd aged a few years. Her mom's tear streaked face struck Kari the most. Eyes red rimmed and puffy, they gazed at Kari with intensity. What was going on? What had happened? How did she get here?

"Kari! Oh Hikari…!" Her mom spoke brokenly, barely able to say anything.

"The doctors said you were lucky. If the car had hit you…" Susumu trailed off.

_What car?_ Kari stared blankly at her parents. She was unable to comprehend any of this. Her eyes slowly moved to where Tai stood. His features were shadowed by worry and perhaps something more. The doctor came into the ward flanked by two petite nurses. The bespectacled elderly physician checked Kari's monitors and vitals and gave a satisfied nod afterwards.

"You're not out of the woods yet, young lady. That was a serious accident. You suffered a broken rib or two and fractured your arm." The doctor looked down at her through his lenses.

"We've been so worried. You've been unconscious for a whole day now, sweetie." Yuuko dried her teary eyes with a new tissue from the box on the bed stand. Susumu wrapped an arm around her.

"It could've been a lot worse if it hadn't been for that young man…now he's a different story." The doctor clucked his tongue and shook his head. Kari was startled when Tai hastily left the hospital room.

"That poor boy…His parents are devastated." The doctor continued speaking. Yuuko and Susumu glanced at Kari apprehensively.

Kari tried to remember. What car? Who was the boy the doctor spoke of? Why was she in hospital? All she knew was the world of pain she was in right now. Then, like a light switch flicking on, Kari remembered everything-the car losing control in the rain and screeching toward her, and TK yelling her name as he ran to… Oh dear heaven above…no!

"TK!!"

*********************************

Breathlessly, Sora ran through the bright fluorescent-lit hospital hallway. The strong smell of disinfectant had become nauseating to her already. Sora hated hospitals. Tai met her in the waiting area. They hugged briefly.

"Is Kari ok? I came as soon as I got your message." Sora asked, frowning anxiously. Kaede joined them carrying a cardboard holder with coffee.

Tai responded to Sora's question with a slow and silent nod. He gave Kaede an appreciative half-smile as he gratefully took a polystyrene cup of coffee from her.

"We were so afraid we'd lost her... when she wouldn't wake up I…" Tai stopped to compose himself. "I can only imagine what Matt's going through right now."

Sora looked confused. "Matt? Why would you mention Matt?"

"Because TK's in ICU." Tai found it hard to speak, partly because he was heartbroken over TK and partly because he knew Sora would rush to Matt's side and comfort him.

"What?! But how?!" Sora stepped backwards, her mind reeling at the news.

"TK pushed Kari out the way before the car hit her head on. The doctors don't know if he's gonna make it…" In his emotional state, Tai didn't give much information.

"I have to find him!" Immediately Sora turned and raced to the hospital elevators in search of Matt. Tai watched her leave, and had never felt so alone. Kaede took a few steps toward the dejected boy. She reached out a hand and touched his shoulder to offer some sort of comfort.

Kaede's heart squeezed tight when Tai pulled his shoulder away from her touch and walked off.

***************************

Mimi had a consoling arm around Matt when Sora found him seated in the ICU visitor's waiting lounge. He was leaning forward with his head in his hands. Izzy and Brad sat across from him looking just as miserable.

The small vine of jealousy snaked its way through Sora at the sight of Mimi and Matt.

"Matt? I just heard about TK. Is he going to be alright?" Sora's heart fell at the forlorn look in his eyes.

"My parents are busy talking to Joe's dad right now. That car injured TK really bad. I can't explain what's wrong, something to do with the impact of the car damaging his lungs… all I know is it's not looking good."

Right then his parents came out of the doctor's consulting room. Nancy was weeping and Hiroaki avoided eye contact with Matt. Doctor Kido stepped out from behind them.

"There's still no improvement in his condition. When the car pinned him up against the wall, his chest took the most damage. We're trying the best we can. All we can do is wait. I'm so sorry. If it's any consolation, TK is a hero. He saved Kamiya Hikari's life."

Matt stood there. He felt like he'd been immersed in icy water. What did it matter if TK saved someone's life? What would he do without his little brother?!

Mimi got up to stand by the distraught young man, but Sora got there first.

"TK's a fighter. He'll pull through this." Sora took hold of Matt's cold hands between both of hers, and held them close.

"Sora's right. We can't give up on him. Miracles require a little faith." Brad eased. Sora smiled gently at her digiguardian. She was reminded yet again why he had the Crest of Faith. He might act the carefree, smart mouthed jokester half the time, but when it came down to never giving up on his friends, you could always have faith in Brad!

Mimi left the waiting area. Izzy decided to follow her knowing why she'd left…it was to hide how much it hurt seeing Sora and Matt getting closer.

_Quick author's note:_ _Yes, the digiguardian characters get crests and digimon, too! I thought it would fit in with the digitalworld plot when I first created these OC's years ago. Sorry if anyone's confused. Please don't think I'm sue-ing_ _here! I wouldn't want the anti mary-sue community on my back for this…hehe._

******************************

Mimi stood before the large windows in the hospital's spacious foyer. The city lights twinkled and glittered, illuminating Odaiba's night skyline in a soft amber glow. Mimi saw Izzy's reflection in the glass.

"You must think I'm so selfish." She spoke in a quiet voice.

"Here I am, jealous and angry over a guy when his little brother is fighting for his life…and Kari…I'm just relieved she's going to be alright." Mimi bit her lip to hold back from crying.

Something deep inside Izzy compelled him to draw her close.

"You're not selfish." He told her, his hand on her shoulder.

Mimi then turned around and buried her face in Izzy's shoulder, crying. Izzy was shocked! He didn't know what to do with his arms! Should he put them around her? And what does one say to a crying girl? Wasn't there a manual out with instructions for this kind of thing?

"Why does it hurt so much, Kou?" Mimi sniffled.

Izzy felt a wet patch forming on the shoulder of his shirt from Mimi's tears. He relaxed, and tentatively put his arms around her in an embrace. She had called him Kou…something she hadn't called him since they were kindergarteners. It was what she'd call him because as a five year old, his full name of 'Koushiro' was a little too difficult for her to pronounce.

"I don't know, Meems. Love hurts like hell." He replied, knowing exactly how it felt to love someone who didn't love you back.

*********************************

The intermittent beeps of the monitors were starting to grate on Kari's nerves. It had been two days and she was able to move around in a wheel chair. Rena had brought her a fluffy white plush cat. Davis, Ken, Yolei and even Willis had given her flowers, candy and cards to wish her a speedy recovery. TK's secluded room was empty of such things. Visitors apart from family weren't allowed to see him, yet here she was, watching him lay there asleep.

It was a saddening sight seeing the vivacious, handsome boy hooked up to life supporting machines.

Kari owed Rena big time. After being denied access to see TK, she had plotted a diversion at the nurses' station so that Kari could wheel herself in her wheelchair to see him unnoticed. For the digiguardian owning the Crest of Serenity, Rena was sure causing a ton of chaos down the hallway…

TK's face had a few big bruises, and Kari was hurting at the thought of how broken his body must feel. This was all her fault… If TK didn't get well, what was she going to do? Could she live with herself knowing that Matt hated her for killing his brother? She owed him her life.

She thought back to that devastating night… The cars' headlights had been blinding. Kari had been paralyzed with shock and terror. TK had screamed her name, urging her to move as he raced toward her. The next thing she felt was a forceful shove and the cold, wet, painful sensation of hitting the rain soaked concrete after flying through the air. Extreme pain caused her to black out.

Most of the details that had occurred in that brief moment were unclear to her.

She reached out and touched TK's hand. A few tears slid down her bruised face. One thing she was more certain of then ever before was the way she felt about this boy in front of her.

"You have to pull through, TK! You have to! Or else I can never tell you how much I care about you… or that I love you."

***************************************************************************

Sorry this chapter was slow, short and sucky! It's more like a filler chapter. Hahaha-the cabin crew was looking at me funny when I started sniffling while writing this during flight. I'm such a sap. I know this chapter is more dismal and not as light hearted as the other chapters, but it won't last. Anyhoo, REVIEW PEOPLE!! You want updates, I want reviews please! :D Motivation to write comes with reviews!

As promised, here is the top 10 list of great fics to read!

**Polar Opposites**** - **MimixIshida _Excellente!_

**Outta control**** - **emichii _So awesome…_

**Control**** - **mobiles give you cancer _a michi oneshot, it's absolutely hilarious!_

**The new neighbours ****- **Potgenie _so creative and original_

**Meganekko ****- **Aster Selene _For the Kenyako lovers_

**In Love with an angel**** – **Tiramisulover _So sweet and original! A takari must!_

**A losing game**** - **Squit Ayumin _Taiora fans will enjoy this_

**Cinderella, please be mine ****- **Light-of-Hope-07 _Even though it's one chapter, it's just so good, it deserves tons of reviews!_

**Digital Academy of Destiny ****– **PrincessJaded _A must read!_

**Holiday ****- **madjack89 _so so funny! You'll love it! ( a digital frontier fic)_

**Shameless self advertising! There are illustrations for this fic on my homepage site! Go to my profile, click on the homepage link and check them out if you're interested! :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Confessions of the Heart

_All I can say to the astronomical amount of reviews I got for the previous chapter is this: Holy cow all of you are phenomalous! THANK YOU!! I was literally blown away by all your kind notes of feedback! Especially __**Aster Selene, koumiloccness, 00violetmoon00, Jasper says relax-X, light-of-hope-07, shef01animetize, mileyfan, escape my reality, kouhaixsempai, lalamae07 and princessjaded**__. Ok so I'm deathly afraid of mary-sueing. This chapter goes a little deeper into one of the OC's character -please don't flame me for it! Hope this next chapter lives up to everyone's expectations!_

**Chapter 7:**

**Confessions of the Heart**

Moonlight streamed through the window and spilled onto the hospital bed sheets, coating them with a milky white light. Kari sat next to TK's bedside. It was her last night here. Although she wasn't completely healed of her injuries, it was decided she was able to go home the following day to recuperate.

But Kari wanted to stay. The prospect of leaving TK here was unthinkable to her-not when each breath he managed to take could be his last. Kari drew herself up and leaned over to kiss an unconscious TK tenderly on the cheek.

"TK, don't leave me…" Kari whispered as she took his hand between hers and pressed it up against her cheek. The moonlight glimmered off a stray tear.

X

The school bell rang for the start of the first class. The school was abuzz with 'Golden Week Dance' fever. For a group of certain seniors, the 'fever' hadn't rubbed off on them just yet as worry for TK consumed their thoughts.

Over the past few days, Matt and Tai had been lavished with attention from fellow students…female students that is. Sora would visibly cringe whenever a girl gave Matt a hug of sympathy-then she would mentally scold herself for it afterwards. If she didn't have the courage to tell Matt that she loved him, then basically she had no right to be jealous if other girls fawned over him.

And man, did this revelation aggravate her to the extremes! She snatched up a text book and tried to distract herself from her depressing thoughts.

"Look at him…Lapping up all that attention like a giant, absorbent…_evil_ sponge! It's sickening…" Sora heard Kaede say to her from the class desk in front of her. Sora prepared herself for yet another Matt-receiving-comfort scene but instead witnessed the sight of Tai getting a long, consoling hug from a slender dark haired girl.

Heck, the girls were practically lined up for a turn to embrace the school's soccer captain.

_Ahg…What is this? 'Give Tai a hug day'? _Sora thought with a roll of the eyes.

Kaede had a stormy look on her face. "I don't see why those bimbos are offering him comfort when Kari's going to be fine and coming home today."

"Why Kaede-chan, are you jealous?" Mimi teased, catching Kaede's surprised look before she masked it with indifference. Mimi decided to sit on top of Sora's desk after overhearing the conversation.

"That's ridiculous and outrageous! It's _ridicurageous_! I'd no sooner drown myself in a shallow puddle than be jealous over Taichi Kamiya." Kaede folded her arms indignantly.

Sora decided to join in the game of ragging on one of her best friends. "That's why you don't have dates, babe."

"Not that the guys don't try." Mimi sang.

With modesty, Kaede blushed like a red rose in bloom. "Come on guys…that's not true…"

"Yeah remember Dylan? He got a black eye when he tried to kiss Kaede!" Sora said to Mimi, laughing at the memory.

"Well, he shouldn't have gone around kissing unsuspecting girls." Kaede tried to defend herself from the onslaught while looking very embarrassed by it all. She'd been afraid and acted irrationally when he'd leaned in closer to her with puckered lips. Poor guy… he now hid behind his friends whenever he saw her coming.

"Kaede, it was the school's play… He was supposed to kiss you." Sora arched an amused eyebrow.

"And there was that cute guy she rejected from the music club who tried to serenade her. And poor Yoshitaka! He was about to give Kaede the usual morning hug when she kneed him right between the legs! He couldn't walk straight for weeks." Mimi was enjoying the 'reminiscing session' at her friends' expense.

"Now that was an accident! He came up from behind and surprised me! It was purely reflex. I felt awful and apologized." Kaede squirmed with mortified shame. She often wondered why she would get so incredibly male-phobic sometimes. Was it the prospect of kissing that frightened her and sent her running for the hills?

"Don't worry! Sora and I will set you up with the perfect date for the dance, and try not to run away from them this time okay? Anyone in particular you have in mind?" Mimi grinned brightly. How she was able to play match-maker while her own love life was in shreds amazed her.

"No. Not exactly." Kaede replied shyly and cast the most fleeting of glances in Tai's direction.

X

His eyes opened slowly. His vision was hazy and the bright morning light hurt his blue eyes. It took him a few moments for his surroundings to make any sense to him. He tried to move his fingers but felt a weight on his one hand. His gaze moved down his arm. The sweet sight of a sleeping brunette holding his hand stirred a thousand emotions within his heart.

X

"I want out of the bet." Izzy announced unexpectedly when he joined Tai, Matt, Joe and Brad before class started. The four boys stared at him with blank expressions on their faces.

"Sure, if that's what you really want. But why the sudden change of heart, Izzy?" Tai eyed him, noticing that his question made Izzy increasingly uncomfortable.

"Is it because you're afraid of losing?" Matt teased despite being in the darkest of moods the past few days over TK.

Izzy frowned. "Not necessarily. I've gotten enough kisses to give the two of you a run for your money!"

"The goodbye kisses you give your mom before you go to school don't count, Izzy." Brad had the biggest grin on his face after serving the playful comment to his friend. Izzy shot a hard glare at the dusty blonde teen. Tai and Joe started laughing.

"At least I'm not counting all the 'kisses of sympathy' I've received while my sibling was hospitalized!" Pride stinging, Izzy directed the remark at Tai, who stopped laughing immediately.

"What? I can't believe you, Tai! How could you take advantage of Kari's accident to further yourself in the bet! You're despicable!" Matt stood up angrily from his desk to face a guilty looking Tai. Tai scowled up at his friend.

"You're one to talk! How many 'sympathy kisses' did you get?"

Subdued, Matt blushed and sat back down again. "15." He confessed and hung his head in shame. "But I didn't enjoy them!" He added like it would make a difference and absolve him of his actions.

"You still haven't answered our question, Izzy. Why do you want out of the bet?" Joe turned the focus away from the touchy subject and back to Izzy.

"It's because…" He stammered, wondering where his new found confidence had gone off to.

Impatient as ever, Tai gave an irritated sigh. "Just spit it out, will ya?!"

Izzy then spoke with more volume than was necessary…

"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE!"

The profound statement stunned the boys _and_ the entire class into silence.

"Oh. Well that's a good reason." Joe finally said.

X

Kari felt movement beneath her hand. Opening her sleepy eyes she remembered she'd fallen asleep with her head on TK's hospital bed. There was movement again. It dawned on her that TK was moving his fingers beneath her hand!

She shot up and looked at TK. He was looking back at her with a weak smile.

"Good morning…sleepy head." TK said stiffly.

Emotions overwhelmed Kari and she almost forgot to breathe! The ability to speak transformed into a big lump in her throat which she found hard to swallow past. He was going to be alright! And they were going to be together!

Her lip trembled and she found herself sobbing with her face buried in his chest.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me?! Don't you ever again make me think for one second that you'll leave me like that!!" Kari's angry voice was muffled as she spoke into TK's chest.

TK's brows knitted in bewilderment. She lifted a tear-streaked face to look at him. The corners of her mouth hinted at a smile.

"If I didn't love you so much I'd really hate you right now for making me worry."

X

A high spirited Mimi made her way to a vacant lunch table near the courtyard's small water feature. News of TK's recovery was a relief to them all. Now Mimi was free to focus on other things. Like Matt-and how she was going to win his heart. Mimi took a long sip of her chocolate milk.

_Wait. You know Sora loves him. She's one of your best friends. It wouldn't be right to steal him away from her. She's going through a lot with her father coming back to Odaiba and telling her only yesterday that he's getting remarried. She deserves some happiness right about now._ Mimi scowled with deliberation. _But then again, so do you! You've had your heart broken over and over again. You deserve to be happy, too!_

Matt entered the crowded courtyard. Even the way in which he moved made Mimi swoon silently. He waved upon sighting her. She suppressed the heat flooding her cheeks and waved back.

"Hi Meems." Izzy greeted tonelessly, startling Mimi when he took a seat at the table with his lunch. He looked preoccupied. Mimi wondered why she was struck by his new appearance yet again. She noticed the 11th grade girls at the opposite table giggling and staring at Izzy with love-sick eyes.

Izzy was trying not to think about his confession the previous day. It was throwing off his groove…Ten girls had already dropped 'vague' hints for him to ask them to the upcoming dance. Only one girl consumed his thoughts. All he had to do was confess his love to her.

_Wow. Izzy's really popular amongst the girls now._ Mimi scrutinized Izzy's appearance discreetly. _He __is__ rather cute. I'll bet all the guys are a little jealous of his newly acquired 'lady's man' status…_

Izzy looked up from his lunch and met Mimi's eyes. A plan to win Matt over came to light. She'd make the blonde heartthrob jealous! Matt joined them and was about to take a seat next to Mimi when she dropped the bomb.

"Hey, Izzy? I was thinking, how about the two of us go to the dance together?"

Izzy practically choked on his mouthful of food. His eyes went wide.

In his astonishment, Matt missed the chair he was about to sit on and landed on the ground. Mimi smiled a little smile of satisfaction and squashed the guilt she knew she was going to be feeling.

_I'm sorry Sora, but all's fair in love and war._

_***********************************************************************_

_Ok, everyone can breathe a collective sigh of relief now-TK IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT! Hahahaha! But I wonder if Mimi's plan to win Matt over will actually work. And what's up with Kaede's partial male-phobia? Hehehe! I know some girls who really are afraid of talking to guys! I'm hoping this chapter was ok-lately I hate the chapters I'm turning out._

_Please review! I know I'm expecting a lot and I don't mean to beg, but I'll update after I get a maximum of 10 reviews! I LOVE hearing your thoughts! So send me some love and push that little green magical button!_


	8. Chapter 8: Love Game

**Firstly, a mega thank you to all the readers who faved, alerted ect. An even bigger thanks goes to those who actually reviewed-I am so grateful! I love you guys! Was over the moon to receive over 10 reviews-Whoo! So you all must've thought I was dead, eh? Finally! Sem-break! And that means…An update! Even though I think it's the worst update I've turned out so far, it's an update none the less. Hopefully they will be a little more frequent if time permits. Enjoy lah! (to Light-of-Hope-07, our OC saya will be introduced in this chapter)**

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Chapter 8: Love Game

Izzy was in a state of euphoric bliss. Mimi Tachikawa had chosen him from out of every other popular guy in school. He still found it odd that she'd asked him to the Golden Week school dance but the fact that they were going together over-shadowed any suspicions he had about her sudden interest in him. It was like a dream come true! Passing by a flower stand on his walk to school, a pink and red mottled rose caught his eye.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he remembered Mimi's love of the color pink. At one stage she'd even gone as far as to dye her hair a bright shade of strawberry milkshake pink.

"Excuse me ma'am, how much for that rose?"

X

It was the end of another school day and students loitered around the corridors for last minute chats. Mimi tossed through her loose hair with her fingers and let the golden strands cascade over her shoulders.

She sighed after one last look in the bathroom mirror, hating the mucky green uniforms they were forced to wear. Gathering her things and brushing Izzy's unique rose against her nostrils to smell, Mimi sailed out of the bathroom. She could feel excitement build at what she had planned for her and Matt… To add to her plan of making Matt jealous with Izzy, Mimi had volunteered to sing at the school dance.

It would be a duet with none other than the school rock star himself. She could make her move during one on one rehearsal. It would be perfect!

After taking a few more steps down the hallway Mimi felt a strong hand grip her forearm. She let out a gasp when yanked backwards sharply. The rose she held dropped to the floor and was trampled under the feet of her assailant. Her back thumped against the wall and before she could process what was going on, she was staring into the striking blue eyes of Matt. Mimi tried not to squirm-he was right up against her and looking straight into her eyes with that intense stare of his. He was so close his scent was intoxicating.

"M-Matt…" His name came out like a whimper.

"We need to talk." He said lowly.

This made Mimi frown with slight annoyance. "Then why didn't you just say so instead of manhandling me like you're some sort of barbarian!"

_Oh, those eyes… _She could stare into them all day.

"I'm sorry. " He still leaned over her. "Why did you ask Izzy to the dance?" He blurted out.

Mimi couldn't help but feel satisfaction. Did she detect a hint of jealousy?

"Why should you care who I ask to the dance? It's really none of your business Mattie." Her indignant reply and the cocky tip of her pretty head irked the hell out of Matt right now.

"I get it. You're jealous." Mimi poked his chest lightly with her finger and ended her sentence with a tap to his nose. With a face flooding with color, Matt looked away.

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm only concerned for my friend."

The twinge of hurt that flashed through her honey gold eyes in that moment instantly made him regret his thoughtless remark.

"And what am I? You make me out to be like some kind of man-eating monster Matt…Is that what you really think of me?" Mimi was genuinely a little offended by Matt's words, but she also knew that when her eyes sparkled with oncoming tears any guy was putty in her hands. And Ishida was no exception.

X

_Alright, Sora! Today's the day! No more excuses. You've been over what you want to say to him a million times today already._

_Don't lose your nerve like you did yesterday. Just ask him and it'll make this whole entire mess called your life a little more bearable. _

Sora gave herself a silent pep talk. Matt had been a source of support during the drama with her dad. Sora had recently learnt that he was getting remarried to some bimbo younger than he.

Moving away from depressing thoughts, Sora walked the empty school hallways and dwelled on her plan of telling Matt how she felt by asking him to the dance.

Her face lit up and her heart leapt in her chest. _There he is!_

"Matt!..." Sora almost choked on his name.

The scene that befell her upon turning the corner snatched her breath away.

Mimi was pinned to the wall and Matt was leaning over her, speaking in a hushed tone. Sora quickly backtracked around the corner and tried to get over the fact that her best friend was trying to steal the one she loved right from under her nose. It felt like a weight had settled upon her chest and she found it hard to breathe.

_How could she? She knew! She knows how I feel about him! Why? Mimi can have any guy she wants with a snap of the finger! Why does she want Matt?!_ Sora screamed inside at the knife of betrayal slicing away at her piece by piece. The hurt was instantaneously replaced by bitter resolve.

_Alright, Mimi. Two can play at this game. And you should know I always play to win._

X

"N-No! Mimi! I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry… forgive me?" Matt wanted to smack himself. _How could I be so tactless? I mean, that's Tai's department! But why am I acting so bent out of shape? Am I…jealous? Yeah right… That can't be possible. I only want to find out why 'Miss Popular' would ask a guy she would deem a geek to the dance. _

Mimi averted her face and wiped at a 'tear'. She had him right where she wanted him.

"I'll forgive you on one condition…" Mimi faced him again with a twinkle in her eye.

X

"You're lucky they made the school 'wheelchair friendly', TK." Davis was his usual perky self and wheeling TK through the school grounds.

"Yeah. I'm glad to get out of that hospital bed. But really Davis, I can walk- you don't have to push me in this wheelchair." TK had finally been released from hospital. As frustrating as it was, TK was instructed not to overdo things and had to use a wheelchair to limit walking around too much.

"I know, but you're supposed to be taking it easy. You want to be able to go to the dance, don't you?" Davis leaned closer over TK's shoulder as he spoke while veering around an iron school bench.

"Right. Have you decided who you're taking?" TK bent his head upwards to look inquisitively at his maroon-haired compadre. Dappled shadows fell across Davis' face as they passed under a few trees lining the walkway.

Davis grinned confidently. "I haven't decided yet. You know how it is. Girls are practically lined up for the chance to go with me-it's hard to choose."

TK rolled his eyes as Davis spoke. He wondered what it was like living in a fantasy world 90% of the time like Davis did.

"I don't wanna break any hearts!" Davis laughed-but suddenly stopped when somebody caught his eye. A group of girls were gathered at the bottom of the stairs right before the entrance to the school premises. They were talking and laughing light heartedly before parting ways for the day.

One girl in particular caught Davis' attention. She appeared to be in his grade and had long, wispy black hair tied up into a pony tail. She wore a small gold and burgundy flower shaped hair clip to keep an unruly bangs out of her face. The warm eyes of liquid gold seemed to remind Davis of a summer sunrise.

His heart just about stopped when she glanced at him and smiled the sweetest of smiles accompanied by a small wave. It was as though that tiny action had pushed the 'stupid' button in Davis' circuitry. Laughing goofily and blushing, Davis waved back to the pretty young girl.

He failed to realise that in his trancelike state, he'd let go of something…

"DAVIS!!!" TK's loud scream broke through Davis' fuzzy, pink heart-filled love daze. Davis' eyes rounded to the size of planets! He'd let go of the wheelchair and now TK was careening down the stairs instead of the ramp! Davis dove to grab hold of the chair's handles, but he couldn't reach it in time!

Many thoughts flashed through the goggle-wearing teens' mind right then as his injured friend seemed to tumble down the stairs in slow motion. _If TK survives this he's gonna kill me…and if he doesn't Kari will dismember me for sure…either way I'm a dead man…_

TK reached the bottom of the stairs after being thrown from his wheelchair during the plummet. He lay in a heap on the concrete at the group of girls' feet.

"Davis, you idiot!" TK croaked in pain. Davis breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that TK was indeed still alive and watched TK's shaky attempts to pull himself up.

"Saya! Watch out!!" One of the girls shrieked to the black haired girl as the flying wheelchair soared toward her and knocked her to the ground with a loud crash.

As Davis watched her worried friends gather around the bruised Saya, any hopes he had of asking the girl out shattered into more pieces than Cinderella's glass slipper.

"My luck sucks…" He wished with all his might that he could vanish into oblivion.

X

Matt slung his book bag over one shoulder and headed for the gates of Odaiba High school. He seemed distracted. His meeting with Mimi a short while ago had him seething. How did she manage to twist his arm into singing a duet with her on the night of the dance? What would Izzy think? She had to be up to something, and when he tried to find out what it was she avoided the issue effortlessly. Mimi had pleaded with doe eyes… Matt growled lowly in frustration. He was caught completely by surprise when a high-pitched voice called his name and a strong hand pulled him forcefully behind one of the school yard hedges.

"Tai? What the hell are you doing?!"

A serious looking Tai shushed a perplexed Matt when he tried to speak.

"Where did he go?"

"I'm pretty sure I saw Taichi around here…"

Tai and Matt sank lower to the ground as two girls passed by their hiding place.

"What's going on here? Why are we hiding like a couple of fugitives?" Frowning, Matt whispered once the girls were out of earshot.

"You remember the bet?" Tai replied in a low voice. He continued when Matt nodded impatiently. "Well the girls we've been kissing are now wanting us to take them to the dance."

Matt paled. "Seriously?"

Tai nodded solemnly. "Seriously."

"So what's the plan, boss?" Matt crouched a little lower behind the leafy hedge. Tai was about to open his mouth to answer when a girl spotted them both.

"I found them! Over here!" She let out a delighted squeal and came rushing toward them. Both boys gasped in horror!

"Run for it! Split up and lose 'em!" Tai ordered, hastily scrambling to his feet. Matt jumped up unsteadily and darted off with a sharp yelp as the girl neared closer to him with outstretched arms.

Tai stopped to catch his breath after slipping into the library. _Nobody will think to look for me in here…_ For once Tai was glad to have set foot into his school library for the first time since starting his high school career. He peeked through the crack of the door as a group of girls ran by in hot pursuit of Matt.

_Poor guy…Man, who came up with this stupid bet anyway? _Tai almost jumped out of his skin when he turned to face the adoring gaze of the quiet library girl he'd kissed two Tuesdays ago. The light that reflected off of her reading glasses made her look really creepy… Backing away slowly he then turned and ran for it down the non-fiction aisle. The bookworm wasn't giving up that easily! The glint of her glasses and the shuffle of her petite feet spurred him into his next action. Tai dove to the carpeted floor and belly-crawled underneath the large study table located deep in the jungle of book shelves.

Tai spotted feet approaching and pressed into the shadows of the table until he felt something against his back. He slowly turned his head to see the legs of yet another female…He only prayed she wasn't deranged like the others. Unwittingly, he found his eyes move slowly up the slender legs of the stranger, reaching her skirt and…

"Hey Kaede, have you seen Taichi Kamiya in the non-ficiton area?" The girl Tai was hiding from asked.

Tai froze. Had he just been about to peek up the skirt of...

"Hahaha! Kamiya? In the library? Sorry Yumi, but that's impossible." Kaede laughed at the prospect.

Yumi continued her search elsewhere. Upon hearing Kaede's voice Tai covered his mouth in an effort to stop from letting out a horrified scream. Kaede's eyes widened and her body stiffened. She had felt something brush up against her legs moments before and now she swore she'd heard something from under the table.

She leaned over slightly and caught a glimpse of a green school blazer. The horror and embarrassment of the situation struck her. There was a guy under the table and there was a possibility he was looking up her skirt! Kaede let out a loud shriek and reflexively kicked at the person hiding at her feet. Tai grunted in pain when Kaede's foot connected with his face and his head hit the roof of the pine table while he tried to escape. The messy haired brunette scrambled out from under the table clutching his right cheek with one hand while the other rubbed his aching head.

Kaede felt every ounce of blood drain from her face at the familiar person standing before her.

"Tai… What were you doing underneath the table?" There was an eerie calm about the way she spoke. Tai knew that a storm the likes of hurricane Catrina was about to be unleashed. Escape was futile.

"No, Kaede! It's not what you think! A group of girls were chasing me like they're in heat or something and I needed a place to hide! I promise I wasn't looking at anything other than your lavender striped shoes!" Tai feverishly defended himself, making a fatal error in the process. Kaede's eyes flashed and her cheeks reddened. Her shoes weren't lavender, and they sure as hell weren't striped.

"Let me rephrase that! I meant to say your under…" Tai gulped. His whole life started to flash before his eyes at the fury that emanated from his childhood friend.

"YOU PERVERT!" Kaede threw the thickest book she could find at Tai. It made a hollow thump as it hit him hard in the chest. Before he knew it, he was ducking a book barrage as Kaede flung every book she could get her hands on at him.

A couple moments later, both teens had been kicked out of the library for breaking the rule of silence in the library and for disrespecting the books. Tai and Kaede stood in stone silence for a long minute.

"I'm sorry Kaede. I promise I didn't see anything, well maybe a glimpse…but it was an accident!" Tai looked at her earnestly with a bruised cheek. Silent, Kaede didn't face him. She stood with her back toward him and her arms folded across her chest.

"I said I was sorry! I'll get your library card back for you if that's what you want!" No response. "Geez, are you always this sensitive?" Tai tried to make up with his friend.

Kaede turned around and flicked his forehead with her finger. She had a playful grin on her face as she replied: "Only on days ending in 'y'."

X

Mimi hummed quietly and bobbed her head gently while listening to the song she and Matt were going to perform on her ipod. She jumped and spilled ice mocha on her skirt when a hand slammed the table where she sat at the Café. With startled perplexity Mimi looked up into amber brown eyes.

"Sora?! What did you do that for? Now look at my new skirt!" Mimi scowled and dabbed at the spill with a serviette.

"It'll wash out." Sora stared down at her close friend with chilling intensity.

Mimi's hand stopped rubbing the wet spot on her skirt to look up at Sora. "What's wrong Sora? Did someone do something to make you angry?"

"Oh you are good. You can drop the innocent act. I've known you for years- I can see right through it." Sora put as much bitterness into her words as she could.

Mimi's frown deepened. "What are you talking about? What's gotten into you?"

Sora leaned closer to Mimi. Their eyes locked.

"You knew. You knew how I felt about him. But you didn't care. You went after him anyway behind my back. After all, what Mimi wants, Mimi gets. Isn't that right?" The cold bite to her tone sent a chill up Mimi's spine. Mimi pulled her eyes away from the icy glare. The whip of guilt lashed at her.

"How did you know?" Mimi tried to keep a tremor from her voice.

"So it is true. You're in love with Matt, too. You once told me that no guy would ever come between friends as close as we are. And I believed you." Sora straightened and Mimi could see all the anger and hurt in her eyes. Sora turned to leave, but after taking a few steps she turned to look back at a speechless Mimi.

"Just for the record, I'm not giving him up without a fight, and I won't lose to the likes of you."

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**I can see war being waged between two best friends over one semi oblivious matt…wonder what sora plans to do to outdo mimi? All's fair in love and war I suppose… So that was the severely late update. It was bad, really bad, I know, but my brain has been sucked dry of all its creativity through a straw by the creativity vampires (aka lecturers) of college. I hope the next updates will be better. So please, open up your hearts and do a good deed- donate some creativity to me by sending lotsa reviews! Sadly, without them this fic will fade into obscurity with no more updates…:D **

**Thank you all for reading this chapter! **

**Thanks goes out to all the following reviewers! YOU ARE THE BEST! : Alienstarship, Mileyfan, Princessjaded, light-of-hope07; shef01animetize; Aster selene ( btw, as your landlord, i need to inform you that your rent has gone up…hahahaha!!!) Jasper says relax-X, Angie555, Njara07 (ps, stop changing your pen name – tis confuzzling) KoumiLoccness, typoqueenofdoomXD, kouhaixsempai, neon765, 0o-violetmoon-o0 **


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